As more and more drivers find their way on to the intarwebs, the greater the average person’s understanding of car technology is becoming. Hell, my only real interest in cars has always been design and the driving itself, but even I can tell you how an engine works. …Sort of.
So with more people now holding a greater understanding of what makes a good car, and what makes for a good driving experience, the more manufacturers are starting to find themselves forced to offer you more for your money than they might otherwise be inclined.
Give me a bloody example, you command? Right then.
It looks like Honda are prepping a rear-wheel-drive version of the Acura RL—known in Australia as the Honda Legend. Traditionally a FWD car, the Legend has always been a popular car among those looking for luxury and features without needing to take out a mortage on their arms and legs. The latest iteration of the Legend offered Honda’s “Super Handling All Wheel Drive” (SH-AWD), which while perfectly reasonable, only served to increase the Legend’s pervading “car for old folks” image.
Now though comes the news that, with the apparent testing of a RWD V8-powered Legend, Honda’s decided they’d like to take a slice out of the pie that BMW, Audi, and Mercedes have been hooking into for some time.
Early speculation has claimed that while Honda is looking more and more likely to drop the FWD format in favour of RWD (and the hero status that follows it everywhere), the inside word is that the new Legend will be packing around 350kw of 8 cylinder heat—even if only as an option.
With the upcoming RWD models from Toyota, Subaru, and Hyundai, it looks as though Asia is set to make a strong and solid return to the West’s favourite format. Ah who am I kidding. Japan have never let go of RWD; it’s only the western markets that they ever stopped bothering in. Have you ever taken a good look at the Japanese market? If you saw the spec level of some of the cars we don’t get, you’d be lining up outside your favourite Japanese manufacturer with a bazooka.
[via JDMpire via Temple of VTEC]
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Good news for Honda fans I guess; but Legend sales here have been poor.
I suppose the new V8 model could either follow in the footsteps of the Nissan Infiniti Q45 (and fail) or the Lexus LS400 (and we all know what happened there).
Jeeez. If it looks like that, I’d buy one tomorrow. Damn that’s hot.
I dunno… The rear wheel arch looks a bit weird. Oh well it’s only a concept anyway. Whatever it ends up looking like, V8 RWD is a good start!!
Looks more like a future adaptation of the VE Commodore than it does an Old-mans Honda.
Everyone loves RWD.
Everyone plainly doesn’t as most cars sold are FWD. Yep thats down to largely whats offered by manufacturers but most feel safer in FWD in day to day driving.
I used to snigger to myself when driving in Mel as I was greeted by a sideways moving Commie or Falcon in wet weather. Fools
Most cars are sold as FWD because its cheaper to make than RWD (or AWD, obviously), not because they have a preference for the drivetrain itself.
There’s a reason why all the premium marques, that can afford to charge a premium, build their 2WD cars powering the rear. Because that is what people will pick, when they’re not scraping the bottom of the barrel.
And a sideways-moving Falcodore sounds like fun to me. In the wet, I always find it more amusing to see torquey FWD cars heading towards oncoming traffic because they’ve power understeered into the other side of the road.
Funny stuff Alan. You have some good points. But plainly some people actually DO prefer the feel of a FWD - being pulled through the corner, even if it is somewhat surprising to most of us here.
The ultimate for speed and control appears to be four-wheel drive, with a setup similar to the GT-R which is rear drive most of the time (including on corner entry to improve turn-in and steering feel) and only shifts power to the front when needed to improve grip on exit. There aren’t many cars that exit corners like the GT-R, or the 911 (the Porsche for a different reason though)