would you say a WRX will beat alot of RWD cars in rain?

[momolicious]

^^ since rear wheels would be constantly spinnin out with more power especially in the rain

[SD_GR]

With equal drivers, equal power, and equal chassis dynamics, I'd say 5 seconds per kilometer, maybe more if it's really slick. Less if the bends are very open and there are high speed straights.

[cavallino333]

My 350z doesn't have limited slip, it has crappy set of stock summer tires and I'm an ok driver. I bet you could beat me in a WRX in the rain, hell I've never even driven the Z in the rain.

[Herknav]

That is such a terribly wide open question... it is pretty much worthless... what sort of tires? what sort of power? what sort of driver? what sort of distance?

My 430 RWHP 05 Mustang will have all sorts of proplems in the wet, but give it a good start, (gentle start, get the rubber rolling), and it will completely smoke my Cobb stage 2 WRX...

I guess the question is how far are you willing to go?

Can you beat a ZO6 off the line to 40 mph? Probably. Can you beat it after that? Ehh, probably not.

[DTR rex]

That is such a terribly wide open question... it is pretty much worthless... what sort of tires? what sort of power? what sort of driver? what sort of distance?

My 430 RWHP 05 Mustang will have all sorts of proplems in the wet, but give it a good start, (gentle start, get the rubber rolling), and it will completely smoke my Cobb stage 2 WRX...

I guess the question is how far are you willing to go?

Can you beat a ZO6 off the line to 40 mph? Probably. Can you beat it after that? Ehh, probably not.

Pretty much.

Too much to be questioned here. To 40mph in the rain, there are VERY few if any RWD cars that could take a wrx upto that 40mph speed. However, once you get going faster they can get traction and may very well.
I once beat a friends WS-6 with bolt on's that runs 12's in my wrx when it only had TBE and since it was in the rain, I took him pretty well upto 60mph. He was beginning to catch up around 40mph I would say though.

[jlagace]

don't race in the rain. comparing an AWD to RWD car in the rain is like apples and oranges and has no relevance

[SD_GR]

What is not relevant IMO is saying one car can beat another if it has a head start, as this really means that the car that needs the head start is slower (after all, why else would it need a head start?...).

I think my estimate is reasonable (it rained here today): 5 seconds or more per Km in favour of the Impreza given equal weights, brakes, tires, and power.

A good test would be to look at cars that have driveline options, like the BMWs, and see what the differences are on a known course between the RWD and AWD cars (even though the AWD cars would have a disadvantage since they weigh more and the motors are the same).

[Mikie13]

What is not relevant IMO is saying one car can beat another if it has a head start, as this really means that the car that needs the head start is slower (after all, why else would it need a head start?...).

I think my estimate is reasonable (it rained here today): 5 seconds or more per Km in favour of the Impreza given equal weights, brakes, tires, and power.

A good test would be to look at cars that have driveline options, like the BMWs, and see what the differences are on a known course between the RWD and AWD cars (even though the AWD cars would have a disadvantage since they weigh more and the motors are the same).

How much of a weight difference is there though? Shouldn't be all that much for another couple differential and a different front axel. The all wheel drive should more than compensate for maybe a 150 lbs or so...the weight of teenager.

I do agree it would be a great test though and could prove a lot of points...Also...make a WRX into a full time RWD and compare...that would be cool just for the hell of it...(drift beast)

[StupidMan]

Pretty much.

Too much to be questioned here. To 40mph in the rain, there are VERY few if any RWD cars that could take a wrx upto that 40mph speed. However, once you get going faster they can get traction and may very well.
I once beat a friends WS-6 with bolt on's that runs 12's in my wrx when it only had TBE and since it was in the rain, I took him pretty well upto 60mph. He was beginning to catch up around 40mph I would say though.

How could that be DTR????? A wrx would need a loop in the time/space continuum in order to beat the supernaturally fast WS-6....
Don't you know anything?

[SD_GR]

How much of a weight difference is there though? Shouldn't be all that much for another couple differential and a different front axel. The all wheel drive should more than compensate for maybe a 150 lbs or so...the weight of teenager.

Probably about that much, a teenager in the back I guess. A while back, Grassroots Motorsports compared a RWD 330i with an FWD Integra and a bugeye WRX, and basically the WRX could put power down to the ground sooner than the other two, meaning better corner exits.

A good FWD car is IMO easier to drive for those of only moderate skill, and with an ace at the controls even FWD can raise eyebrows compared to an RWD car (I remember Stig Blomqvist in the turbo Saab 99 FWD, or Jean Ragnotti later on in the Renaults). The conditions have to be just right though, otherwise an AWD car is really at a great advantage.

In many of the motorsports where AWD is not seen, the reason that the sanctioning body has banned it. For example, F1 has a limit of four wheels per car, with the rear two driven only, and for good reason.

[Mikie13]

Probably about that much, a teenager in the back I guess. A while back, Grassroots Motorsports compared a RWD 330i with an FWD Integra and a bugeye WRX, and basically the WRX could put power down to the ground sooner than the other two, meaning better corner exits.

A good FWD car is IMO easier to drive for those of only moderate skill, and with an ace at the controls even FWD can raise eyebrows compared to an RWD car (I remember Stig Blomqvist in the turbo Saab 99 FWD, or Jean Ragnotti later on in the Renaults). The conditions have to be just right though, otherwise an AWD car is really at a great advantage.

In many of the motorsports where AWD is not seen, the reason that the sanctioning body has banned it. For example, F1 has a limit of four wheels per car, with the rear two driven only, and for good reason.

Very good explanation. AWD I do agree would make for MUCH better cornering simply because more wheels driving = more power to the ground to steer out like you said.

FWD does make steering easier because weight shift and transfer isn't felt near as much like with the rear wheels kicking out on an RWD car. A lot of people don't know how to deal with the Torque understeer associated with good FWD and powerful cars.

One thing I will defend however is if you are a skilled driver, you know how to handle any drive car in poor weather. Its about knowing your vehicle, its physics, and the road. I used to have a 5speed BMW and it was awesome. I had good tires on it for one, but a little e-brake here and there worked wonders

As sick handling that F1 cars are now...imagine if they too were AWD

Great post!

[Dan00Hawk]

Tires and traction control system on the RWD car will make a world of difference, too... I've got friends with "slower" rwd cars (BMW 328, Chrysler 300C, Lexus GS400, BMW 540) that are able to out accelerate my GTO and Firehawk in the rain, for example. When it's dry, I'm out in front every time, though...

And I've heard it referenced that a magazine did a comparison article b/t an AWD BMW on all season tires and a RWD BMW on snow tires. The RWD BMW on snow tires was apparently able to out accelerate the AWD/all season tired car on a snow course. I can't locate the source, though.

I really miss the capability of the WRX in wet/snowy conditions, and it'll be difficult to not get a Subaru next time I go car shopping.

[06STIGUY]

Yes now lets all go and race in the rain cuz we have AWD and it INVINCIBLE in bad weather!

[dragonwrx1]

Yes now lets all go and race in the rain cuz we have AWD and it INVINCIBLE in bad weather!

lol....

[StupidMan]

I have found that the wrx with m+s tires is the supreme champion on country back roads with gravel and sand lining every corner.
Clean surfaces that are wet, it doesn't seem to be any better than anything else. But sloppy wet, muddy roads it is also the champ.
Don't have a lot of experience with it in the snow yet. Just a little last year, and it was still too new to test limits.