What manufactures build "track cars"?

I didn't think the OP was asking about track situations (lap times).

 

I think the addtional cost of AWD, if not just an option, will price some customers out of the Corvette. The coupe can be had for a reasonable price as an entry level Vette. I for one do not deliberately drive my car in bad weather so AWD would not be something that would be of interest for me. I can push the car to the limits I, and I would guess most owners, are comfortable with that would not require AWD. Just my $0.02.

 

There are some important aspects of the car that people don't think through. Yes, it adds weight. But you can also run smaller wheels and tires than the huge Z06/Grand Sport/ZR1 tires, narrow the body etc to offset some of the weight. The rear tires don't have to be as big to hook up.

The 0-60 and 1/4 mile times would plummet. Look the current comparison test in C&D of the Audi S6, BMW M5 & M-B E63. It takes the 560hp M5 the entire 1/4 mile to catch the 420 hp Audi due to its AWD advantage. And despite what Bill Dearborn said, look at what the GTR accomplishes despite it's weight. It gets sterling reviews in every test ever published, even on race tracks. As they say, it' makes a mediocre driver look like Mario Andretti.

Would I want it? It depends. Not on a "base" car. But on a Z06 or ZR1 I probably would. We all know that except in hot weather the car doesn't hook up at all in first, and many times in second gear. The acceleration would be unreal.

BTW, I bought my wife an Acura TL last year. I had a hard time deciding between AWD & front drive. While it's not a fair comparison because my option was front drive, but I got the AWD and it's a revelation turning onto a busy street from a stop. I just nail the gas and don't worry about wheel spin or the traction control shutting me down. Also, the steering feels very neutral.

 

There you have it; a real world example of the advantage of AWD.

 

Me

Me

Despicable ME

 

Please forgive me if I overstated that in anyway.

Craig

 

Short answer- No Way No How

 

Short answer- Absolutely!

Longer answer- I want the same bragging rights zero to 60 that other cars have due to AWD. The aforementioned GTR is a good example. The AWD Porsche is another example. I hear the comments about the supposed limits to AWD however I am more swayed by what I read in comparo tests vs cars with AWD. Less emotion, more facts is what I'm all about. I also agree that for us in the NE we should not be looking at snow capabilities due to low clearance however there are 2 advantages I can think of:
1. Longer use in the fringe seasons of early winter and early spring when traction becomes an issue, not snow depth.
2. The ability to use a Corvette the way some Americans and many Euros do with their Porsches at ski resorts. Being a skier I love taking my Vette to the ski slope on those days when the weather permits. You should see the looks on people's faces when I pull up and take 2 pairs of skies out of the rear of my coupe. Way cool! Now I have to solve the salt issue, LOL.

 

Should have asked this in the Z06 and ZR1 Forums.

 

Why bother testing 0-60 times if you are using it on the street only. Where can you accelerate at 100% throttle.. from 0-60.. on a public street or highway, without getting pulled over? Why bother comparing 1/4 mile times, top speed mph, laptimes, skidpad, and braking tests.. when the vast majority of them are driven on the street. If we were talking about street driving only, then we can talk about Camry's vs Accords.

But when you pick up a magazine like MotorTrend.. and start looking at those "performance tests", those with AWD have a significant traction advantage and win pretty much every acceleration tests. The Z06 & ZR1 arent losing acceleration tests because they cant make power. They are losing because they cannot put 500hp+ to the ground on street tires. Wanna see something ridiculously impressive.. how about a trio of under 3 second 0-60 factory cars. Only AWD is able to do this on street tires:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4jOQFMlpdVI

 

AWD isnt just about performance either. Its also about safety. How many people have lost the back end of their Corvette, and seriously regretted it. AWD would prevent idiot occurrences like this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzlg3oQMze4

 

I agree with the point about AWD but talking about Corvette needing to be on the track to justify those 0-60 times misses the point for me. I love my car but I do want it to have a certain "mystique" and that does not include playing second fiddle to a GTR or other AWD platform. Failure to keep up with the technology that drives performance places Corvette's "mystique" in jeopardy and that can have serious consequences for future sales IMHO. I don't want Corvette to slip back into the late seventies mode when the car seemed to be headed towards a low performance future. I realize all too well that some people don't care about performance and are only interested in a cool looking, nice riding, comfortable car but.......why settle for just that when we have the technology to do both. My biggest fear is that we fail to keep up and give the performance advantage to the Euros and the Asians. I can't believe I am alone in this feeling.

 

When the limiting factor of performance is traction, it's an issue.

 

I can see it in a family car if it is likely to be on wet or snow covered roads. Corvette has all the traction and stability control needed and you can also add magnetic selective ride and you are good to go. No interest putting AWD into that mix for my sunny day driver Corvette.

 

The Porsche's 0-60 performance isn't attributable to the AWD, it's attributable to the car's static weight distribution of 39/61 (read "traction"), launch control, and PDK.

AWD is probably a contributor to the other two car's 0-60 times.

 

send us a link to support that statement please

 

I would enjoy the AWD option, but I won't pay extra for it. We don't get much cold weather here in houston and I probably wouldnt drive mine if heavy rain was in the forcast.

 

I never thought I would have said it, but yes, I would order it for my next super sports car. Living in the Midwest, all wheel drive is a plus. If I lived in Cali., I would not entertain it.

I seriously looked at the Lambo Gallardo, and I like that the car offers Italian style with German reliability. All Wheel Drive for a Supercar is its biggest attraction to me.

The Gallardo & the P. Turbo are on my next "short shopping list." Provided the next C7 ZR1 offers all wheel drive, it too will be on the short list.

Cheers,

BB

 

All you have to know is how the Porsche's AWD system works.

The 997 Turbo PDK has a variable AWD system; the amount of power routed to the front wheels varies between 0-100%. Porsche wants as much power going to the rear wheels as possible, because they understand that's where the big traction is (over 2800 lbs over the rear wheels under full acceleration, with only 800 lbs over the front wheels). So 100% of the engine's power goes to the rear wheels unless the system detects over 5% rear wheel slip. When rear wheel slip exceeds 5% the first thing the ECU does is back off the power in an attempt to establish less than 5% rear wheel slip. Soon after the power reduction, if <5% rear wheel slip is not reestablished, the system starts routing some power to the front wheels. This power is variable, so there is no preset amount sent in block form to the front wheels. Porsche knows that there is little weight over the front wheels (relatively speaking) and that because of the combination of static weight distribution, and the relatively narrow front tires (235/35/19), the front wheels are not where you go looking for traction.

So unless you see significant and sustained rear wheel spin when a 997 Turbo launches, there is zero power going to the front wheels. Take a look at the video link above and notice that there is very little rear wheel spin on launch in the 997 Turbo S; not nearly enough rear wheel spin for long enough to generate any power at all to be routed to the front wheels.

Porsche's AWD system was not designed to help the car in straight line acceleration. It was designed to improve handling and cornering.

 

Of course there is no wheel spin! that's bc front wheels ARE indeed pulling (as the rear wheels are pushing)! same case with the GTR, and you said that AWD probably does help that car...