What are the greatest RWD / FWD / AWD cars of all time?

[WRXtranceformed]

Interesting topic posted up on the IS forums. I'm curious what picks you guys would have. Post up your three and discuss!

My picks, because I've always been more of a newer car / tech guy:

RWD - 09 Vette ZR1
FWD - ITR
AWD - Bugatti Veyron

[ViPER1313]

Front-Engine RWD - Ferrari 599
Mid-Engine RWD - Ferrari F40
FWD - Colbalt SS Turbo
AWD - Bugatti EB110

[Goodspeed]

RWD - I'm going to go with my precious MKIV Supra Turbo

Hard to argue with its capabilities with stock components. I'll cite SW's '95 Hardtop that ran a 7.91@188.9 with the factory IRS, factory rearend with TRD LSD, and shifting through the factory 6 speed.

This year, he backed that up with a 246.1mph run at the TX Mile, becoming the reigning champion and fastest street car in the world, besting all forms of turbo Viper, 'Vette, and everything else. Thats turbocharged 'Busa territory.

I think the MKIV will stand the test of time and we probably won't see another FR platform that can withstand that much power stock and run times like that. Not to mention the MKIV has numerous road racing and autocross records under its belt, too. Just an all around awesome platform.



FF - Civic, Cobalt
AWD - Veyron

[ScottyB]

AWD - UR Quattro. pretty much invented the monster AWD car category. dominated most everything it raced in, included trans am. the turbo I5 is to this day still one of the most potent turbo engines anywhere.



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RWD - I'll second Adam's F40. its the best engine placement, in the best Ferrari, which is one of the greatest track cars tamed for the street ever. it was way ahead of its time and still remains and animal to be tamed. it may not be the fastest RWD car ever but it is the rawest, purest, and IMO the "best of the breed"



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FWD - ITR, no contest. not only are the numbers impressive but its just such a well sorted chassis. i don't think any other car blends the right amounts of what a FWD car needs to be great to drive like the ITR. i also don't think any other manufacturer went through such pains to achieve the best overall package like acura did with that car. lastly i like acura's mantra of keeping the car N/A to keep the front wheels from overwhelming the car and make the experience more linear and precise.



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[kcook]

quit lying to yourselves, we all know the best fwd car is the srt4!!

[Evan]

The FWD car that sucks the least is the Lotus Elan by far. Killer looks, convertible fun, and Ill trust Lotus to build a FWD car from scratch lots better than tarting up an econobox.


RWD: 1966 Ferrari P4
AWD: 993 911 Turbo

my internets is running slow so you get no pics

[fiveoh2go]

RWD: Ford GT40 MKIII This version had the best looking body, the 427 Side oiler engine, was capable of over 200+mph BACK THEN, and also won Le Mans four years straight...from '66-'69 at the hands of drivers like Bruce McLaren, AJ Foyt, and Dan Gurney.


AWD: Ford RS200 Rally Car Wikipedia it if you don't know.


FWD: I don't have a pick for wrong wheel drive :bootyshake:

[BLINGMW]

I'm going to cop out like Adam as well and pick two RWD cars

Front engine: RX7. Which chassis, I don't know. All of them. 8)
Mid engine: NSX. Precision and balance, not raw power. Still awesome, perfect styling.
FWD: Ok, the ITR was my pick too. Until I realized that FWD is about compromise. An inferior performance platform designed for daily driving. '90-'93 Honda Accord.
AWD: Impreza (and WRX of course) has to be the most recognizable, it's the first thing I think of when I think AWD. Yeah the Quattro was "first", but Subaru got it right at the right time and now everyone's doing it.

[balactm]

AWD - gotta be the 222d mr2 built rally car. only 3 made


RWD - no power, but the 18k gold delorean. again only 3 made



FWD - hmmm. i like goodspeeds answer of the civic for straight reliabillity. but i'll cop out and choose the itr.

[ViPER1313]

To everyone who has chosen the ITR as the FWD car of choice - how is it better than an SRT4 w/ LSD (04-05??) or a Cobalt SS?? I'm pretty sure that the Cobalt mopped the floor with the new Mugen Civic when they went head to head (around VIR)..... the Cobalt also has no-lift-to-shift and is well enough sorted to beat an Elise around a common track (Car and Driver, the post we all fought about....). 8400-8500 RPM redlines aren't very useful (power UNDER the curve) when comparing power-to-weight ratios.

[ScottyB]

To everyone who has chosen the ITR as the FWD car of choice - how is it better than an SRT4 w/ LSD (04-05??) or a Cobalt SS??

if the thread was "fastest FWD/AWD/RWD cars of all time" i'd probably pick the SRT-4...

i like the ITR because i think its a better overall package, better balanced.

[CaptainHenreh]

The FWD car that sucks the least is the Lotus Elan by far. Killer looks, convertible fun, and Ill trust Lotus to build a FWD car from scratch lots better than tarting up an econobox.

Gotta love an Isuzu engine too, lol.

Best for me is going to include accessibility and price. No ferraris on my list, because I'll never own one.

Best FWD Car:

B13 SE-R


I hear what everyone is saying about the ITR, but the SE-R did it first, and built a true wolf in sheep's clothing. Furthermore, the ITR's exclusivity only hurt it, not helped. When was the last time you saw an ITR at an autocross? On a racetrack*? Contrast that to the last SE-R you saw.

I also think that modern FWD crazycompacts are pretty cool, but part of me feels like they're just throwing tech at already pretty good platforms. Like, you (as the engineer) are not really trying at this point, you're just cramming a big assed engine into an already pretty competent chassis...that game's been played since the 50's, and it's even easier now. Where's the innovation?

Best RWD Car:
I've debated this one long and hard but I'm going to say the Datsun 240Z. It totally changed the sports car game, being as fast as a porsche for half the price, and making the world take a good serious look at what is coming out of Japan. If it weren't for the Z, I'm not sure things like the Supra or GT-R would ever have seen the light of day.


It was stylish, fun, reliable and inexpensive. Everything you would want in a sports car (not muscle car) of that era with none of the usual sports car drawbacks.


Best AWD:
I'm with Scotty on this one. The Ur-Quattro Coupe can only be described as Epic in every respect. Audi hit that right out of the park.



*not as a race car, but as an actual dude doing HPDE's...something accessible to the masses.

[Mike]

fwd: itr
rwd: ferrari f40
awd: porsche 959

[balactm]

To everyone who has chosen the ITR as the FWD car of choice - how is it better than an SRT4 w/ LSD (04-05??) or a Cobalt SS?? I'm pretty sure that the Cobalt mopped the floor with the new Mugen Civic when they went head to head (around VIR)..... the Cobalt also has no-lift-to-shift and is well enough sorted to beat an Elise around a common track (Car and Driver, the post we all fought about....). 8400-8500 RPM redlines aren't very useful (power UNDER the curve) when comparing power-to-weight ratios.

i've heard a couple stories about srt's snapping an axle. also, while i've never sat in a cobalt ss, the base cobalt is a p.o.s. interior, exterior, sound, etc. i think the itr is chosen because of the reliability that comes with the performance.

[Dave]

Rex, you rock. I own 2 of your 3 right now! :-)

[ViPER1313]

i've heard a couple stories about srt's...... i've never sat in a cobalt ss

Well then.....

I know I'll never win this one here and it doesn't really bother me. The more people who think like you, the cheaper I can get awesome American cars 5 years down the road.

At least I could park an SRT4/Cobalt SS in a public area for 10 minutes without it disappearing.

[CaptainHenreh]

Rex, you rock. I own 2 of your 3 right now! :-)

When did you buy an SE-R?

NX2000's are horrible abominations to God and should be burned and/or exploded where they sit.

[flintster55]

I've thought the Cobalt SS was a decent looking car. And the performance for the dollar ratio seems to be pretty good. They still use the Ecotec too right? I've heard its a solid powerplant and can take some b00st.

[ScottyB]

i'm seriously thinking of changing my FWD choice to the mini. i can't believe i forgot that car.

edit: also in case anyone is confused, i am not bashing the SRT/SS in any way. they are awesome and if i wanted a FWD car today that's what i'd buy. the cobalt beat cars like the elise/evo at VIR in whatever that big magazine handling test was...that's just wrong.

[John]

To everyone who has chosen the ITR as the FWD car of choice - how is it better than an SRT4 w/ LSD (04-05??) or a Cobalt SS?? I'm pretty sure that the Cobalt mopped the floor with the new Mugen Civic when they went head to head (around VIR)..... the Cobalt also has no-lift-to-shift and is well enough sorted to beat an Elise around a common track (Car and Driver, the post we all fought about....). 8400-8500 RPM redlines aren't very useful (power UNDER the curve) when comparing power-to-weight ratios.

Not gong to disagree that the Cobalt can scoot around VIR pretty quickly, but the Elise test was a flop. They went with the narrower front street tire option (yes, 175s) and were several seconds slower than the previous years' test. I also have very little faith in those magazine tests having seen them post times at some of the same tracks I've driven at that are MUCH slower than a beginner HPDE student.