[David70]

Two cars exactly the same except one has RWD and the other AWD, both have the same tires and both are driven exactly the same way by a safety conscious driver, in inclement weather the AWD will be safer. How much safer is definitely debatable but I see no instance where the RWD will be safer and there is the chance that AWD will allow you to get out of a "safety" incident when RWD could not.

I own two RWD cars.

[davis449]

I concur with those saying it's about who's behind the wheel.

Two cars exactly the same except one has RWD and the other AWD, both have the same tires and both are driven exactly the same way by a safety conscious driver, in inclement weather the AWD will be safer. How much safer is definitely debatable but I see no instance where the RWD will be safer and there is the chance that AWD will allow you to get out of a "safety" incident when RWD could not.

Replace the word "safer" with "more capable" and you might have a post with some credibility here. "Safety" is all about the judgement and capabilities of the driver behind the wheel.

I just came from two highly modded Audi's, one Torsen and one Gen 4 Haldex.

[EJT86]

AWD is only working when the gas is pressed...I don't see how it's "safer." AWD and RWD all have the same "nannies" these days traction and stability controls will be working long before the AWD becomes relevant in an emergency situation and even then like I said AWD only works when you press the gas, so you'd need the presence of mind and clearance to moderate the gas to get out of a tail slide. I had an AWD G37 before the M3

[csu87]

i prefer AWD in the snow for starting, accelerating, turning.... but, in those times when you get all 4 tires spinning vs only 2, thats when it gets interesting. I feel I am able to get out of it quicker with RWD vs my AWD

[tjlees]

Originally Posted by chillindrdude

I think there's no inherent safety difference.

There are differences in driving style, skill and understanding of vehicle dynamics. And mistakes, bad habits, can lead to loss of control.

But an experienced driver in a RWD or AWD car should not be any safety difference, no?

This was an issue raised on an Audi forum, I took the above position. Peeps be piling on me.

Remembering that BMW AWD cannot mechanically vector the power around like a true audi Quattro can, and can only vary power by axle, I would say there was no difference between a BMW RWD and AWD. In winter BMW AWD gives you better traction, but is not necessarily safer - all other things being equal and driver having some element of competence. If anything, the extra 100kg weight would make the AWD less grippy thus more likely to depart from its chosen line.

For a AWD with proper power vectoring, the car would be definitely safer and better than its RWD equlivant. On track proper AWD cars are point and squirt, the power vectoring under and oversteers the car in the corner to keep it on line. RWD track cars with traction off, can oversteer resulting in spinning or understeer resulting in a visit to the kitty litter.

For me Proper yaw controlled AWD car made me from a zero to hero in all weathers, at all corners (providing and didn't back off!), at any braking point and almost any line. nice

A RWD made me think about the racing line, trail braking into the corner, throttle balance going toward the apex and making sure the steering was straightish before WOT. AWD teaches you very little of this.

[Polo08816]

Originally Posted by tjlees

Remembering that BMW AWD cannot mechanically vector the power around like a true audi Quattro can, and can only vary power by axle, I would say there was no difference between a BMW RWD and AWD. In winter BMW AWD gives you better traction, but is not necessarily safer - all other things being equal and driver having some element of competence. If anything, the extra 100kg weight would make the AWD less grippy thus more likely to depart from its chosen line.

For a AWD with proper power vectoring, the car would be definitely safer and better than its RWD equlivant. On track proper AWD cars are point and squirt, the power vectoring under and oversteers the car in the corner to keep it on line. RWD track cars with traction off, can oversteer resulting in spinning or understeer resulting in a visit to the kitty litter.

For me Proper yaw controlled AWD car made me from a zero to zero in all weathers, at all corners (providing and didn't back off!), at any braking point and almost any line. nice

A RWD made me think about the racing line, trail braking into the corner, throttle balance going toward the apex and making sure the steering was straightish before WOT. AWD teaches you very little of this.

This!

[davis449]

Originally Posted by tjlees

Remembering that BMW AWD cannot mechanically vector the power around like a true audi Quattro can, and can only vary power by axle, I would say there was no difference between a BMW RWD and AWD. In winter BMW AWD gives you better traction, but is not necessarily safer - all other things being equal and driver having some element of competence. If anything, the extra 100kg weight would make the AWD less grippy thus more likely to depart from its chosen line.

For a AWD with proper power vectoring, the car would be definitely safer and better than its RWD equlivant. On track proper AWD cars are point and squirt, the power vectoring under and oversteers the car in the corner to keep it on line. RWD track cars with traction off, can oversteer resulting in spinning or understeer resulting in a visit to the kitty litter.

For me Proper yaw controlled AWD car made me from a zero to hero in all weathers, at all corners (providing and didn't back off!), at any braking point and almost any line. nice

A RWD made me think about the racing line, trail braking into the corner, throttle balance going toward the apex and making sure the steering was straightish before WOT. AWD teaches you very little of this.

FYI, torque vectoring is still pretty new to Audi (and it's not std. and in the vast majority of Quattro's), so I don't know where you got that " true audi Quattro" crap from.

[MightyMouseTech]

AWD just puts you further into the ditch.

[davis449]

Originally Posted by MightyMouseTech

AWD just puts you further into the ditch.

They say the same thing about 4x4!

[Sered]

That Audi quattro dork will have the same trouble as an M3 when slamming on the brakes in the rain.

AWD does NOTHING for you except during acceleration; and only if you're accelerating too quickly for conditions (which means you're either driving unsafe to begin with or are driving on the edge at the track). Generally AWD cars are boring as hell to drive, Audi definitely fits that bill for sure as they drive like ass. If you've lost lateral grip when turning, AWD isn't going to do shit.

[Craigy]

I put my wife in a full-time AWD sport utility and put some fairly aggressive sport compound tires on it (Conti DWS06), and I figure it'll keep her out of trouble. We get no snow, but we get a lot of rain, and she used to complain about her front-drive honda pilot would push in the corners if it was slick. Her current truck doesn't do that.

[RM7]

Originally Posted by Craigy

I put my wife in a full-time AWD sport utility and put some fairly aggressive sport compound tires on it (Conti DWS06), and I figure it'll keep her out of trouble. We get no snow, but we get a lot of rain, and she used to complain about her front-drive honda pilot would push in the corners if it was slick. Her current truck doesn't do that.

Well, my experience is that my Camaro with upgraded suspension and decent tires widly outperformed my WRX in the wet, because it can sustain so much more in terms of lateral Gs and had much more grip. Once it got a little icy/snowy, the opposite was true and RWD was crazy dangerous, with one set of wheels spinning due to how much power was applied and the other set spinning due to how fast the car was going. That made it real easy to break traction and especially with any kind of inline, you often had no chance. If you live in flat land and it doesn't get icy/snowy much, yeah, AWD makes no sense. Good tires and grip will win out over any AWD system. Dealing with frequent starting, speed changes on slopes, having to have the front and rear spin the same speed, etc, AWD makes more sense.

[saxon]

I would say awd is more capable in bad weather...

Safety is dependant on the driver first, the tires second, awd/rwd last

[tjlees]

Originally Posted by davis449

FYI, torque vectoring is still pretty new to Audi (and it's not std. and in the vast majority of Quattro's), so I don't know where you got that " true audi Quattro" crap from.

RS

Hence the word true

[Dan Bilzerian]

Drive an Evo X and take that thing at high speeds into a corner, that'll put a big smile on your face!

[aerostar]

I'd say it's safer in that it vastly reduces the probability you will get STUCK in snow in the middle of nowhere.

As far as driving once you're moving there's no difference. My Subaru did, however, go up hills much better than the vast majority of pick-ups and SUVs.

[brianeck]

Originally Posted by Sered

That Audi quattro dork will have the same trouble as an M3 when slamming on the brakes in the rain.

AWD does NOTHING for you except during acceleration; and only if you're accelerating too quickly for conditions (which means you're either driving unsafe to begin with or are driving on the edge at the track). Generally AWD cars are boring as hell to drive, Audi definitely fits that bill for sure as they drive like ass. If you've lost lateral grip when turning, AWD isn't going to do shit.

While what you say is true, exiting a corner is supposed to involve acceleration "when you're driving correctly" so it should actually be in more control with greater contact on the road. I'm not knocking your statement here, as you're quite right about lateral grip, but while you still have grip AWD simply has more of it with double the rubber contact.

Granted most people don't drive correctly and tend to brake through corners on the best of days, let alone in bad conditions, completely voiding out everything we are both talking about anyway

AWD is going to be safer in bad conditions again assuming the same driver had the chance to drive the same car with equal power etc. . . That said, a car with less power is going to be 100% safer as well with all other things constant so its not a completely fair measure.