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      08-19-2011, 11:20 AM   #15
mdosu
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Drives: Double Vanos'd Civic-M3
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: San Francisco

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Quote:
Originally Posted by gthal View Post
Others will know more than me on this but in my experience, AWD cars are a little heavier, push more in corners, and aren't as challenging to drive (for some a bad thing) and you wouldn't use your throttle to "drive" the car as much... the last two would make the car a little less exciting for some, i.e. it's easier.
these are generalities that are correct. But really, you have to see how the power is distributed by the AWD system and also what the center differential is and how sensitive it is to detecting slippage. It's this that really defines the driving character of the AWD car. To say the C4S will handle like a RS4 or Evo 8 or GTR or Gallardo is complete false b/c these cars all have different types of center differentials and different default power distribution. And don't get me started on torque vectoring systems like the AYC in the Evo X. These mechancial and often electronic aids will really determine the handling character of the AWD car.

I don't know how the C4S' power is distributed, as I recall from the 911 Turbo's system, the center diff generally allows all power to be distributed to the rear wheels. Only when certain slip is detected by the mechanical diff, would a certain percentage of power get moved up front. I don't know how much and what the distribution is, but I can say the C4S will handle alot like a C2S in most conditions, aside from a damp track or certain conditions coming out of a corner where you will get significant wheelspin.

Now don't quote me on this, but these are what I recall from the top of my head on default power distribution and maximum allowable distribution by the center differential:

C4S: 5%-95%, 40%-60%
RS4: 40-60, 80-20 & 20-80
Evo 8/9: 50-50, 100-0 & 0-100
Gallardo: 30-70, ?-?
GTR: 40-60, 2-98

Last edited by mdosu; 08-19-2011 at 11:39 AM..
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