Don't shoot the messenger.....I'm only paraphrasing Road & Track.

http://www.roadandtrack.com/article....r=10#reardrive

On a dry sub-1 minute autocross track, the AWD sedan is faster by A SECOND !!!

The "X" is ~300# heavier.
The drivetrain loss is greater.
The center of gravity is 1cm higher.

HOW? Attesa-ets, baby.

 

But wasn't it mainly because the 1st gear TQ simply overwhelmed the rears in th slowest turns? Can't recall.

But not to take anything away from the X. I had a '97 Mitsu. GSX, so I can appreciate the advantages of AWD.

 

That is very interesting. I wonder what RWD car they used against the auto x? An auto or manual?

 

I doubt the "X" could have beaten a 6mt.

 

Remember that the ATTESA system works as rear wheel drive most of the time until wheels start slipping.

 

i'm very much attracted to the g35 and have been strongly considering getting one, but my wrx has eaten every rwd and fwd so far.
i hope that changes soon . . . but not as much as i hope g35c's get attesta on 'em around new car time. *hint hint Infiniti*

i don't brag, i just state facts. we have better cornering and launch capabilities but suck in a straight line rolling.

 

G35c with Attesa would be even heavier though. The WRX is a relatively light car. Infiniti should really work on dropping the weight of their cars.

 

Nice find Wayne, Was an interesting read.
Thanks for posting.
Wayne

 

I will use that in in every arguement why I bought AWD instead of the 6mt. Except I will lie allittle and say its 3 seconds faster.... Thanks for the boost of confidence.

the only downside is i can't run staggered wheels. that pisses me off@

 

Rear Drive vs. All-Wheel Drive: That Is the Question

For fun, we brought a rear-drive Infiniti G35 to our autocross and compared it with its all-wheel-drive G35x brother, in both wet and dry conditions with VDC yaw control switched off. We assumed the rear-driver would be quicker in the dry, given its ability to hang out its tail and help the driver tighten his line. But in the wet, we were confident the all-wheel-driver would have a tremendous advantage, hooking up better out of turns. Here's what we learned:

Well, we were wrong on one front, right on the other. Based on group average times on the dry autocross, the awd G35x proved itself faster, surprising us with its rear-biased manners and lapping nearly a second (0.9 sec.) quicker than the rear-drive G35. In the wet the G35x fared even better, 1.3 sec. quicker than the rear-drive G35.

Credit goes to the electronically controlled awd system, which maintains a rear-drive bias while endowing the car with improved stability. Don't get us wrong, the G35x still liked to hang its tail out, but the driver didn't need to be quite so careful with the throttle to keep the car's back end in check. In the rear-drive G35, the driver had to be far less aggressive with the throttle (and quicker with corrections) to post respectable times. Wet or dry, the awd G35x was far easier to drive quickly.

The G35x's center diff is responsible. From 0 to 10 mph, its electromagnetic wet clutch splits the torque 25 percent front/75 percent rear for good grip off the line; thereafter, the car is 100-percent rear drive until rear-wheel slip is sensed. Then, the diff can send as much as 50 percent of the power forward. Although other awd systems will produce different results, the G35x proves that all-wheel drive, properly applied, can give you the best of both worlds.

 

Now if we only had a AWD sedan with an MT6 transmission!

ARE YOU LISTENING INFINITI????

 

This just in

6MT>AT

 

How about an AWD coupe with a 6MT?!?!?!?!??!?!??!?!?!?!?!?!?!??!?!?!?


Dave

 

I am there with ya! I just bought my X wanting it in a manual after coming off of having a Subaru Legacy GT LTD Manual (modded) for 4 years. But I got the X because I am addicted to AWD now. I was thinking about getting an STI, but everbody and their mom has those up here in Seattle. I love my X so far!