Why So Many Fwd "sports Cars"

[Smurf]

Just wondering why so many manufacturers make FWD sports cars. I assume they know what they are doing. My thoughts on it are:

1) They consider FWD's to be safer, esp when they are short wheelbase cars;

2) There aren't enough buyers to make it worthwhile on all cars. My thoughts on this are that there would be a whole new market if they made them in RWD and those that don't care will continue to buy anyway.

Specifically I am thinking about the following cars:

1) Renault Clio Sport. Obviously a good car already though could be better I assume with RWD. Same goes for the Megane Sport or whatever it's called;

2) Celica. Not my cup of tea though maybe of interest if it were RWD.

3) Any "hot hatch" you can name.

By changing to RWD you get rid of torque steer, understeer and adds what I believe to be a better driving experience.

I could be wrong, but I think the Mitsu 380, Toyota Sportivo Camry and Maxima would be a lot more popular if they were RWD. I honestly think this is one of the reasons why Holdend Commodores and Ford Falcons are so popular in Aust.

Maybe I'm in a small minority here. Maybe my focus is on Aust's preference and not factoring the possibility that other countries make up the majority of the market and don't care..

What do you think?

[HannahMc]

FWD became popular when SUVs came along, and I think it's the feeling that one gets when driving a FWD. I know I feel a little bit more powerful, and get a little bit more of a rush when I'm driving a FWD, so if that's combined with a sports car's body, I can see why manufacturers would be leaning towards them.

[c33_rake]

They are a lot cheaper to make and they are lighter so there for the motors can be less powerful and better on fuel that would be about it.

[Master]

All about packaging and saving some $$$$ in the process... There is a big push from all manufacturers to have even more integration between models...aka similar platforms. Just makes it cost effective.

[Marlin]

Why front wheel drive?

Manufacturing - cheaper/easier.

Packaging - easier/more spacious/lighter.

It's not neccessarily a bad thing though if done right - ever driven a DC2 Type R Integra? Great fun!

[ctjet]

its a marketing ploy so that morons think driving around in a FWD gay mobile will make them cool enough to say to people "oh yea i dive a Honda sports car, im so f*king cool"

... when we all know the truth about these people

[Master]

its a marketing ploy so that morons think driving around in a FWD gay mobile will make them cool enough to say to people "oh yea i dive a Honda sports car, im so f*king cool"

... when we all know the truth about these people

Gees, dont hold back tell us what u really think...lol This Forum is both informative and entertaining.

[madbung]

All the cars you mention are designated and marketed as sporty variations of a standard production hatch or sedan....none are considered sports cars, the closest you have mentioned to a "sports car" is the Celica which at a pinch is in the same class of car as our beloved Skylines, GT (grand tourer) not "sports car"

Putting an S badge on a car doesn't make it a sports car, nor are they being marketed as such.

pfffft sports cars...cough

[Rezz]

Celica is a GT car? Since when?

FWD sports cars exist because from the late '70s FWD was the prefered driveline that was cheap to develop, safer (to a degree), and offered more cabin space for small cars. The Sports versions are just marketing, but Toyota, Honda, Renault etc developed the concept to the point were alot of the shortcomings of FWD drivelines were almost done away with (especially with the Honda Integra Type R).

So you could say that some people actually prefered to drive these 'proper' FWD sports cars. Well that and the distinct lack of RWD sports cars from big makers like Nissan in recent years

Just look at the BMW 1 Series. It's a 'FWD type' body in dimensions, but the driveline is RWD, which harks back to the '70s when the majority of smaller cars were still RWD. The 1 Series (especially the 3.0 model) is the best small car around... because it's RWD. But the same amount of people that think it's good because it's RWD will say it's bad because it's so cramped in the rear seats...

[madbung]

Celica is a GT car? Since when?

Since about 2 decades before you got pubes most probably.....

Yeah it's stretch, but it's the only car above a generic shopping trolley that was mentioned as a "fwd sports car" that actually fits into a semi-sports category

[Rezz]

Since about 2 decades before you got pubes most probably.....

That would put it about 1968 then suckah...

I thought you were talking about FWD Celicas. The early '81 - '86 MA61 Celica XX (Supra in AU) was the last time a Celica could be called a proper GT car.

[Mr. Oizo]

Integra Type R?

Civic Type R?

They'll both hand you your ass on the track.

[Wink]

Integra Type R?

Civic Type R?

They'll both hand you your ass on the track.

Even a GTR?

Always thought GTRs (even R32s) were faster than CTRs and ITRs...

[Duncan]

its easy, all those sport(y) cars are built on an existing FWD platform the manufacturer had available.

the bigger question is why do nissan import the maxima to australia when they could get the skyline (same motor, similar platform but rwd) for only a couple of grand more?

btw there is nothing wrong with a well set up fwd car, I used to race fwd and they can be very quick when driven properly.

the big difference is you can't put big to huge power thru a fwd as there is to much torque steer (not so bad on the track but a pain on the road). Each of the cars in the first post is under 200hp so its not fair to compare to a gtr, maybe a stock gtst...

[ORIGIN]

hey gont forget about the mitsibishi fto's there pretty quick

[Smurf]

I would have thought both the R33 GTS25T and R34 GTT could keep up with a Integra Type R on track. I understand that the Type R's are one of the best FWD's going around. I would have thought they would lose out on the straights and make it up through the corners. Does anyone have actual experience with these two cars on the track.

[someonestolecc]

the bigger question is why do nissan import the maxima to australia when they could get the skyline (same motor, similar platform but rwd) for only a couple of grand more?

I'd be keen to hear your take???

[dangerous_daveo]

And why did we get Avalons over Chasers...

Anyway. The renult thing, it does have a RWD version with a 2l V6 where you would normally find the rear seats. The orginal version was just stupid, REALLY bad turning circle.

Few you missed, turbo astra. The power they have is just insane. ST focus, 5cyl 2.5l turbo in a fwd car (volvo engine) I saw the thing on top gear, it went ok. Golf GTi, VERY good car. Megane (sp?) turbo, once again massive power. Then a few years back you had the sportivo corollas with the celica engine. The festiva has a 2l version as well now. All FWD, all a lot of power for the size of the car. Thing is, there is a trend. They are all of simlar cost (at least in europe where their biggest market is) size, etc. People just want a fast version. The cost to do one off awd or rwd versions just for the sake of doing it is pointless, and just not marketable for the extra cost. (leaving out the R32 golfs, they are a different car limited numbers and you pay for it)

In regards to the bigger cars, I guess most middle Australia doesnt care that much about handleing. However your big fords and holdens have been loosing sales. Your 'sports' camarys etc obviously arent sports, its like an 'S pac' commo, you get a body kit and for that essencially a slower car. But they look ok, and are more econmical than their RWD counterparts. That and the euro and japanese sedans are doing much better now as they are far better cars.

Handeling, well 40years to develop it with todays technology is good enough for me, they know how the stuff works, so they can build it so it can.

[predator]

FWD gives a lot more direct steering feedback, and cornering .. its not neccessarily a worse setup. But when you get to a certain amount of power (i.e. lots) its hard to get it to the ground, but as said above quite a lot of cars do it pretty well these days. Those that say "its not RWD therefore it must be crap" are often the same ones that drive falcondores..

FWD cars will always be there, for regions such as europe, asia etc where space is a bit of a premium, there are many narrow windy roads, and where you don't need big thumping fuel guzzlers - resulting in generally smaller engined cars which suit a FWD platform a bit better. And there will always be a demand for something that little bit faster, etc.

[dangerous_daveo]

Oh, I forgot. The alfa 147 gta. 3.2l V6. FWD again. Same with the Brera, I doubt you couldnt call that a sports car.

One thing tho. No such thing as a FWD Supercar. Sports car yes, supercar no.