Difference between front wheel drive and rear wheel drive car.

Car enthusiasts argue with enviable regularity about which car is better, front-wheel drive or rear-wheel drive. As a rule, fans of front-wheel drive are in the majority, especially when they remember that most of VAZ's products are rear-wheel drive. But Mercedes, BMW, Porsche and even Rolls-Royce also have rear-wheel drive. Rear-wheel drive was also the Ford T - the first production car. Why then did many manufacturers choose front-wheel drive in the future? How does the drive affect the performance of the vehicle?

Definition

Front-wheel drive Is a method of arrangement and a design feature of a vehicle's transmission in which the torque generated by the engine is transmitted to the front wheels. The first front-wheel drive car was the Cord L29, released in 1929, and automakers immediately appreciated the benefits of assembly-line assembly, which was significantly less labor intensive, and the absence of a bulky propeller shaft allowed for more interior space.

Rear-wheel drive assumes that the torque generated by the engine is transmitted to the rear wheels. Rear-wheel drive is common in most premium cars.

Comparison

The design features of front-wheel drive vehicles can reduce their cost, which is important in the production of mass models. They have a simpler design, so they are theoretically more reliable. They are also more economical, since they have a higher engine efficiency due to the fact that the transmission of torque to the wheels is carried out with less energy loss.

The undoubted advantage of front-wheel drive cars is that on a straight-line trajectory they have higher directional stability, but their turning radius is larger than that of rear-wheel drive cars, which makes them less maneuverable.

Rear-wheel drive cars are heavier, but their weight is distributed more evenly along the axles, which significantly improves the car's handling. Rear axle drifts are more predictable and easier to eliminate: it is enough to simply drop the gas, which most drivers do reflexively in emergency situations.

The gearbox and engine on rear-wheel drive vehicles are mounted on softer mountings, so that the vibration of a running engine is practically not felt in the passenger compartment. They also have much less towing at the start, they climb up more easily even on slippery roads, but when descending, the rear axle is more likely to skid.

Conclusions TheDifference.ru

  1. Cars with front-wheel drive are easier to assemble, so their cost is lower compared to similar models with rear-wheel drive.
  2. Front-wheel drive vehicles on a straight trajectory have a higher directional stability.
  3. Rear-wheel drive vehicles have a smaller turning radius and are more maneuverable.
  4. Rear-wheel drive cars are heavier, but their weight is more evenly distributed along the axles, which significantly improves the car's handling.
  5. Engine vibrations are less noticeable in rear-wheel drive vehicles.
.