Why FR or FF

[gt4]

why are most cars made with front engines instead of Mid engines? is it cheaper, more reliable, more practical, or what.

 

[Slick6]

probably easiest and most efficient and cost effective, and also so you can have a back seat

 

[bengee]

front engine due to ease of access... as well as lack of a need for a drivetrain with a front drive train...

I believe that front wheel drive is used mainly because it creates understeer when pushed to the limits. this creates a "safer" car when at the limit just because the car has less of a likely hood of spinning out... I think this is the main reason for everyday cars being ff...

 

[Jay]

also FF cars create more foot room for a smaller car, plus the whole drivetrain can be kept in one unit at the front of the car

Mid mounted cars also have bad cabin heat and noise problems

 

[360rider]

one thing i dont understand uptil today. Why are MR drivetrains called mid engine. Even though the engine is in the front. I just dont get it...Is it becase the majority of the drivetrain is in the middle or what?

 

[Jay]

MR cars have the engine in the middle not the front, like a most Lambos etc

 

[Famine]

For a car to be classified as Front-engined, the engine BLOCK must be forward of the front axle. For a car to be Rear-engined, the block must be behind the rear axle. For a car to be mid-engined, the block must be between the axles.

 

[Jay]

its pretty self explanatory

 

[Gil]

Originally posted by gt4
why are most cars made with front engines instead of Mid engines? is it cheaper, more reliable, more practical, or what.

It is a safer, more space efficient design for a passenger car.
You can fit 5 people comfortably in my 2-door Escort with it's FF configuration.
A Clio Sport is about the same size. But, with it's MR configuration it is a 2-seater.
Also with an FF car, the weight of the Engine Block is a "traction aid" when the weather turns nasty. If you have ever driven in snow, you know it's much easier to drive an FF car, than any car that is RWD. I imagine that the Old VW's and Porsches might be a hoot to drive in the slippery stuff due to the engine being over the drive wheels...

 

[Duke]

The other thing that makes consumer cars tend to be front engine designs is that midengine cars are very susceptible to yaw because the moment of inertia is very short due to the mass of the engine sitting near the center of gravity of the car.

This makes them very agile, but means that they need a little more care to drive than your average yahoo can muster up.

 

[skylineGTR_guy]

Bah, forget that, buy skylines and go for the glory of RWD and AWD. Although I like some mid enigne cars like the MR2, NSX, they just wont work for more than 2 people. Atleast with the GTR I can hold 4 people. Me,wife,2 kids, tons of horsepower. thats all I'll need.

 

[Roo]

What's the difference between 4WD and AWD?

 

[humbo]

Yeah I can never distinguish between all those different things like four wheel drive, all wheel drive, all time four wheel drive... someone care to explain?

 

[slimer90210]

In the world of OFF ROAD, 4WD (4 Wheel Drive) vehicals are vehicals that have a transfercase that can be shifted between 2 and 4 wheel drive, I.E. 4 Wheel Drive Pickups. AWD (All Wheel Drive) vehicals are vehicals that have power to all 4 wheels all the time, I.E. Subarus. As for full-time 4 wheel drive. These are 4 wheel drive vehicals that have a transfer case and front axle that are made so you CAN leave it in 4 wheel drive all the time if you want to, but you can still shift them into 2 wheel drive.

I know these are an off roader's definitions I would think that this would apply to all vehicals but I could be wrong. I hope this helps.

 

[360rider]

Originally posted by VIPERGTSR01
MR cars have the engine in the middle not the front, like a most Lambos etc

see now thats what i was thinking too. But how the hell do you work on the engine of a car like that. Does the 360 Modena classify as a MR? Considering its engine is beindthe cockpit.

 

[slimer90210]

Originally posted by 360rider
see now thats what i was thinking too. But how the hell do you work on the engine of a car like that. Does the 360 Modena classify as a MR? Considering its engine is beindthe cockpit.

is the engine between the axles??

 

[humbo]

Yeah the 360 modena is MR, rear engine would be like porsche carreras where the engine is at the very end of the car.

 

[360rider]

ive been enlightened. Thanks All

 

[Roo]

Thanks slimer90210 for the 4WD/AWD explanation!

Mid-engined Diablo:

Rear-engined RUF:

 

[TVRKing]

Typical example of a FF car.

Ford Mondeo

 

[skylineGTR_guy]

Originally posted by slimer90210
These are 4 wheel drive vehicals that have a transfer case and front axle that are made so you CAN leave it in 4 wheel drive all the time if you want to, but you can still shift them into 2 wheel drive.

The skyline does something like that automatically. It will start out in RWD and stay that way unless you decide to have a little fun and floor it, then it automatically shifts 50% of it's power to the front wheels. If you want to remain strictly RWD all you have to do is pull the fuse

 

[Glut]

If it detects the real wheels slipping it will direct more power to the front wheels. But converting it to RWD only is not that simple, you're better off buying a GTS in the first place.

 

[skylineGTR_guy]

Originally posted by Glut
If it detects the real wheels slipping it will direct more power to the front wheels. But converting it to RWD only is not that simple, you're better off buying a GTS in the first place.

Wheel slip or aggressive acceleration will set it off and yes pulling the fuse will turn it off, trust me, I know skylines. Look it up in the manual. Or ask Sean Morris. The only reason to get rid of the Atessa is if you want to hit the skidpad other than that there really is no need.

 

[skylineGTR_guy]

We pulled the fuse on the GT-R to make it RWD. Generally RWD cars are better on the skidpad than a AWD car.

http://www.rbmotoring.com/uscc.html

towards the bottom.

 

[humbo]

I believe the V-Spec and V-Spec II models with ATTESSA also have better suspension and other performance oriented changes than the GTS models. So a GTR with the ATTESSA disabled will still have differences with the GTS other than the weight. Um is that correct?

 

[Glut]

Originally posted by skylineGTR_guy
http://www.rbmotoring.com/uscc.html

towards the bottom.

Thanks, that's interesting 'cause someone gave me different info. I've got some fish to fry now

I believe the V-Spec and V-Spec II models with ATTESSA also have better suspension and other performance oriented changes than the GTS models. So a GTR with the ATTESSA disabled will still have differences with the GTS other than the weight. Um is that correct?

Yes, the suspension, the engine and the little badge on the back well... it's a bit more than that, but the differences are fairly large.

 

[VG30DETT]

I thought only the GTRs had the Attessa. From then on, they had two different ones, Attessa for the GTRs, and Attessa Pro for the GTR V-Spec/V-Spec II.

 

[slimer90210]

Originally posted by skylineGTR_guy
The skyline does something like that automatically. It will start out in RWD and stay that way unless you decide to have a little fun and floor it, then it automatically shifts 50% of it's power to the front wheels. If you want to remain strictly RWD all you have to do is pull the fuse

I did not know that about skylines..... but I would still call it an AWD just do to the fact that other then pulling the fuse there is not a way to shift it between 2 and 4 wheel drive manually. Or are my definitions just way off?

 

[skylineGTR_guy]

Originally posted by slimer90210
I did not know that about skylines..... but I would still call it an AWD just do to the fact that other then pulling the fuse there is not a way to shift it between 2 and 4 wheel drive manually. Or are my definitions just way off?

Nope as far as I can see your definitions are correct. I always used 4WD for trucks and AWD for cars. Most people know what you are referring to anyway. Heres a little lesson on the ATTESA-ETS PRO system found on the Vspec and NUR spec (regular atessa is on the standard GTR)

A 16-bit microprocessor monitors wheel rotation as well as lateral and longitudinal acceleration 100 times a second. On detecting rear wheelspin and taking into account current driving conditions, it instantly instructs a wet multiplate clutch to direct more torque to the front wheels, regaining traction in a fraction of a second and letting the driver maintain control. The system comes into its own during hard cornering or in slippery conditions, when the front/rear torque split is adjusted to anything between 0:100 to 50:50. An active LSD on the rear axle further aids traction by calculating the optimum torque split between the left and right rear wheels, altering it to anything between diff. locked and free state.
Working along with ATTESA-ETS PRO, is the SUPER HICAS rear-wheel steering system. This uses a series of sensors to monitor vehicle motion, rate of turn and the driver's actions on the steering wheel. Complex software then compares this information to computer predictions of the car's ideal turning characteristics, adjusting the angle of the rear wheels to reflect the driver's intentions.

 

[skylineGTR_guy]

Originally posted by VG30DETT
I thought only the GTRs had the Attessa. From then on, they had two different ones, Attessa for the GTRs, and Attessa Pro for the GTR V-Spec/V-Spec II.

yeah and the NUR spec has the pro also. On top of that it also has a suspension that is adjustable from the drivers seat so you can stiffen it up for some racing or soften them for cruising.