Quote:
Originally Posted by jsimon7777
Understeer versus oversteer depends on the corner I suppose, but nobody wants a lot of understeer.
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The real distinction between (or among for that matter) awd fwd and rwd is the effect of excess power.
An understeering car is faster than an oversteering car.
If the engine torque cannot overcome drive wheel tire grip then fwd is likely to be quickest.
If engine torque can overcome drive wheel tire grip the awd will always be quickest.
Awd will ALWAYS understeer initially under excess power because the rear drive wheels will be pushing the front drive wheels sideways as they are turned into corner. Awd and fwd can be induced to oversteer by application of a rear brake.
It is also very difficult to engineer a quick awd car that can also be made to oversteer under power.
Rwd is odd. It is everybody's favourite but it is inferior to awd and fwd technically. It is quicker than fwd only when engine torque would overwhelm the front drive wheels. Awd is always banned from racing categories when rwd cars are desired for entertainment value.
While it may feel fast to oversteer a rwd car it just isn't. It's all for show. Any oversteer wastes forward drive in a rwd car. In fwd and awd drifting a tad does not waste forward drive.
All the fastest forms of road racing use rwd and ban awd.