Let’s say Honda made the mistake of selling a few thousand FWD S2000’s. In your daily driving would you be able to tell? Yes, I know the chances of it happening would be near impossible for a multitude of reasons. I’d still like for you to indulge me.
There is no doubt in my mind our auto-crossers would figure it out in a heartbeat. There are two things that would tip me off from the driver’s seat. First one would be torque-steer. The closest FWD car I’ve driven with similar engine characteristics would be the Honda Si. I did not encounter torque steer. That means it could possibly be absent in an S2000 with a FWD set-up. The second one would be weight distribution. Most FWD cars have around 60% or higher proportion of its weight up front. It makes sense. It often provides a similar sense of pushing an empty shopping cart around with a case a soda or whatever your brew of choice is at the front. Honda could possibly mask that with suspension trickery. From my experience, it’s nearly as noticeable when the vehicle has a shorter wheelbase. Not all FWD cars are created equal in that sense of why most of us prefer not to drive them. With all that said, I believe the vast majority of us would be able to tell. If not, you’re not driving you car hard enough. This could explain why I’m always looking for tires. At least that’s what I’m told. So, the question remains: Could you tell?
- Onehots2k
And now, the “then some” referred in the title above:
The question of how much a FWD car differs from a RWD car surely is on the mind of several car afficionados. Sure, there are magazine article & blog posts that detail the difference, but the real difference rang true to me after driving the S2000. Sure I’d driven other RWD cars in the past, but the difference was not as obvious or perhaps I was not pushing hard enough. Coming around an uphill corner going over a bridge, I stepped on the gas to pass another vehicle and the S2000 (true to its nature) slid its rear out and had me doing a quick correction. What never happened to me in the Civic Si had happened and brought home the fundamental difference between FWD & RWD. A proper RWD car will give you prompt feedback (not speaking of the RWD pretenders that have understeer dialled in) and will oversteer on demand. Honda has built a very neutral handling car in the Si equipped as it is with a limited slip differential, front and rear sway bars that keep the car very well balanced and ensure traction during cornering. Have they built a fun to drive FWD car? you bet. Does it force me to be alert at all times – not really, as it is forgiving unlike the S. That unforgiving nature (you overstep and I’ll bite you back attitude) in my opinion is what will enable you to tell the difference. As Onehots2k asked – Have you been able to tell yet?
-A2
Images courtesy of Slowd16 & A2.
NOTE: S2KI welcomes the opinions of its members on the S2000 and on all topics related to the S2000. Should you feel the creative urge to pen a few words then by all means do so and PM Energetic, Aashish2 or Onehots2k OR send us links to what you would like us to write about and we will feature you (or your community) on the S2KI Home Page.
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on Jul 27th, 2010 at 6:47 pm
Surly the s2ks hood and front end would not accomadate a east/west engine. And if you where to move the north/south engine forward, and have some sort of funky front axel set up like Audi’s fwd’s. it most certinly would not fit either. and I have no idea where you would fit the gear box.
I often have to explain this sort of thing to people who ask if my s is front or rear wheel drive. It’s surprising how many people just assume its fwd.
Ape-x
on Jul 27th, 2010 at 7:41 pm
no idea why you dont think FWD setup wouldnt fit under the S’ massive hood. in any case… unless you’re an idiot i dont get how you wouldnt be able to figure this out.
on Jul 27th, 2010 at 7:56 pm
I’m fairly sure just pulling into a parking space I’d already know if it were FWD or RWD. ;\ Not too hard to tell. And if you want to talk about oversteer drive a turbo MR2, haha
on Jul 27th, 2010 at 7:59 pm
FWD S2K? ewwww… thats sooo wierd. defeats the purpose of a sports car really imho
on Jul 28th, 2010 at 12:19 am
In a heartbeat! The difference would be like night and day…The second I start to drive, I will be like…wtf???
on Jul 28th, 2010 at 12:25 am
I really doubt it would be that hard to tell from just driving it around the block but that is prob because i would be kicking it sideways …
on Jul 28th, 2010 at 12:26 am
@ HadesMR… i definitely agree with you on that one, my previous car was a mid-engine RWD 91 MR2… oversteer like a mutha****
on Jul 28th, 2010 at 5:18 am
RWD is for real men, FWD is for laddies…
on Jul 28th, 2010 at 5:32 am
I watched an Acura RSX type S spin out like crazy at an autocross in the hands of an excellent driver who formerly raced an S2000. FWD cars can spin out too. Just push them hard enough.
on Jul 28th, 2010 at 6:00 am
Before I got my S2000 I’d have had a hard time telling the difference between FWD and RWD (hell, for that matter throw AWD on there). This was primarily because I was used to driving FWD cars (Suburban, Mazda 929, Mazda 626, Mercury Mystique, Honda Accord, Cadillac STS were the cars around when I was growing up). On the rare occasion I got to drive a RWD car (Mustang Cobra and Shelby AC Cobra are the two that come to mind quickest), the cars were so far out of my league on what I had the ability to drive that I treated them like a Veyron that drove like a Corolla (i.e. drove like grandpa).
After finally buying my S2000 (was actually looking for a Miata because of price, but I got talked into my happy car) I was finally able to really drive a RWD car…and it was such an amazing difference. I was so used to understeer (particularly during cornering under power) that I felt like a huge weight had been lifted off me. FWD is a horrible experience for me now, and every time I have to drive one, I feel very stifled.
So yeah, I’d have to say I’d notice the difference if someone traded out my S2K for a FWD one.
on Jul 28th, 2010 at 6:05 am
It would just be a next gen honda prelude with a soft top
on Jul 28th, 2010 at 7:12 am
@benji
where’d you find a FWD Suburban? LOL WUT
on Jul 28th, 2010 at 7:32 am
i believe that in conservative, daily driving you would not be able to tell the difference at all. At a low percentage of total grip, FWD & RWD handle also identically. However, once you opened it up a little you would be able to tell instantly
on Jul 28th, 2010 at 7:42 am
when I first bought my 01 s2k it felt unmistakeably RWD, more RWD than any bmw I drove before. But, after changing the wheel set up, tyres and with some added body stiffening ( front strut bar, front x-brace, 4 pt roll bar) it feels more like AWD or even fwd dc2typer!. Feels lot more safer to drive, although some fun factor has been lost…
on Jul 28th, 2010 at 8:10 am
It’s pretty obvious. IMO, there is a different sensation between the two. FWD feels like the car is being pulled along. RWD feels like the car is being pushed. Full time AWD is a combination of the two — like the car just…. travels. The sensation is most noticable to me when you climb a hill.
on Jul 28th, 2010 at 8:16 am
Go drive a ’97 – ’01 Prelude Type SH and then compare that to RWD!
on Jul 28th, 2010 at 9:10 am
The 1988 Legend has a north/south engine (V6) and has front wheel drive.
Including double wisbone suspension.
Some say 2 wheels on one axle can not (and therefore should not) do more than one thing.
Because the steering is usually at the front, the drive has to be at the back.
Simple.
on Jul 28th, 2010 at 10:48 am
I would hate the S and would not be driving my S today if it was FWD.
Wow, just thinking about it makes me feel really uncomfortable. But, if Honda actually made this mistake, LOL at the person who got it.
What a mistake it would be…phew, thank Honda for not making this mistake!
on Jul 28th, 2010 at 11:00 am
@ Legal Bill – You are correct. FWD cars can spin out too by using the trailing throttle oversteer technique. It takes a very practised driver to execute that to perfection in a FWD car.
Most current sporty FWD cars are fairly neutral. While they lack the oomph of a real RWD, they can be fun & exciting.
on Jul 28th, 2010 at 11:41 am
might sound weird but from what i’ve always noticed fwd cars have this feeling of “pull” whereas rwd vehicles obviously have more of a “push” factor with respect to acceleration. My integra always had this feeling of dragging the back end around where the S and my first couple bmw’s have had that kind of forward thrust characteristic under power. If I somehow didn’t know what configuration a car was I would most likely notice one way or the other the first time I pulled out onto a road from a stop. Especially in the case of a car with a limited slip like the S, any gravel/dirt is going to cause that “scuff-scuff-scuff” noise upon take-off, and you’d have to be completely oblivious to not notice what end of the car its coming from.
on Jul 28th, 2010 at 3:18 pm
I could easily tell if I were driving a FWD car. I’ve owned the following vehicles:
1. 1966 Impala convertible (RWD, heavy as hell, no technology, drum brakes, giant steering wheel–this was the car I drove when I was 16 and prepared me for driving any of these newer vehicles with ease)
2. 1992 3000GT VR4 (AWD and I could most definitely tell in straights and corners. AWD launching was wonderful though I did it rarely because the early year 3000GTs had weak output shafts. Rain/low traction driving was completely different from any other car I’d driven up to that point. It took a lot to stop that car from getting you where you wanted to be.)
3. 1999 Trans Am (RWD and the most power/torque out of the bunch. I only spun it around once and it was after owning and DD’ing it for 3+ years. This car taught me a lot about driving a higher powered RWD vehicle with a slightly light back end)
4. The 06 S2000 I just got. I’ve already pushed it to the limits of the crummy General Exclaim tires that the previous owner put on there and I can’t wait to learn my limits all over again as soon as I get my Direzza Star Specs next week.
I’ve driven a ton of FWD vehicles and not one has been enjoyable for me. Newer ones can get close to eliminating torque steer with all the new technology and driving assists, but if you push the car hard enough you can always tell.
on Jul 28th, 2010 at 4:48 pm
Such huge difference to me. Every time I get in a FWD i realize more and more how much I love RWD setup.
on Jul 28th, 2010 at 8:46 pm
Turbosix.net, i feel i must defend my statement. its not the width or the length of the hood, its the height. look at the s in profile and the height or the hood across the wheels. this is where the engine is likely to sit if it where placed in an east/west configeration. the height of the engine + gearbox, the gearbox being the main issue. in most traditional fwd’s that ive seen the gearbox usually sits right bellow the engine. so unless the engine was pushed back from the front axel and put on a 45 degree angle i dont see how it could fit. im not saying the engine couldnt fit it’s the gearbox thats going to cause problems. I could be massively wrong on this. and if you could provide evidence, i would love to see it. I will gladly admit that i was wrong.
on Jul 29th, 2010 at 5:58 am
I steer around curves with the gas sometimes. I’d definitely feel it.
on Jul 29th, 2010 at 8:30 am
I’ve owned the following cars in the past 7 years in this order. 1986 BMW 735i, 1996 Integra GSR, 2006 Scion xA, 2006 S2000, 1997 Integra GSR, 2002 Subaru Impreza WRX. I’ve got to say that to me it seems very easy to tell. The difference in feel under hard acceleration between FWD and RWD is very noticeable. Cornering is worlds different as well. I suppose if you daily drove a car and were very very easy on it, you probably wouldn’t be able to tell in a big way. Once you open the car up you notice immediately. With my first car being RWD, I can easily say I feel much more at home in one. FWD feels too unsure to me in corners. You push too much and you understeer off course and that’s it. Not to say that can’t happen in a RWD, but you have more of a chance to correct in my opinion.
on Jul 30th, 2010 at 9:49 am
stupids
on Jul 31st, 2010 at 6:56 pm
what is the point of this article?, you could tell it was front wheel drive just by looking at it, the low hood would be raised so as to accommodate the drive shafts and the car would handle like crap cause it was designed for rwd hence bigger tires in the back… dont forget weight distribution will go from 48:51 to 60:40
anyone would be able to tell
on Aug 4th, 2010 at 10:43 pm
Ayo, thank you.
That is what i should have said from the start