Me being a troll: Video that proves that Subaru Pwnz!

[the Teuton]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7dVFY5CxT0&NR

I was surprised by 2 things:  the omission of the Impreza and the fact that the Subarus did so much better in traction tests than the competition.

[J86]

 

[TheIntrepid]

How about J86 and I get together and see which does better off-road, a 1993 Subaru Legacy L or a 1990 Camry 4WD Alltrac. I know the guy who bought mine off me... I could get access to it.

BTW: J86 I didn't know Legacy ever came with FWD

[the Teuton]

Imprezas came in 2WD, too, until they were phased out for the 1996 model year.  On the wet traction tests, the Subies dominated and on the hill they did, too.  I think that the flat engine and almost 30 years of technology perfection just make them better than most affordable AWD systems out there.

[TheIntrepid]

Imprezas came in 2WD, too, until they were phased out for the 1996 model year. On the wet traction tests, the Subies dominated and on the hill they did, too. I think that the flat engine and almost 30 years of technology perfection just make them better than most affordable AWD systems out there.

Okay

I wish every company offered 4WD as an option on all every car.

[JYODER240]

Okay

I wish every company offered 4WD as an option on all every car.

Yeah, that would be a great way to ruin a lot of sports cars.

[TheIntrepid]

Yeah, that would be a great way to ruin a lot of sports cars.

Fine, every car that's not a sports car. Then again aren't many exotics, Murcielago, Veyron etc AWD?

[the Teuton]

Other than the weight and weight distribution factors, I'm going to have to disagree with you.  Sure, a lot of them would become characterless appliances along the lines of a Toyota Camry, but they'd be extremely efficient, neutral cars.

Honestly, could you imagine how crazy a RWD Gallardo would be?  If it already understeers pretty wildly at the limit when trying to hang the tail out, it would be much worse without the front wheels working with it.  AWD has made some decent cars good (most Subarus) and some good cars great (993 Turbo, Skyline GT-R).

[scubie]

whatever the reason, Subaru's do tend to do better on snowy roads than anything else, at least up to a certain depth.  When it was really deep I still took my truck or now the jeep for the clearance and because you don't get the much larger wheelwells filling with packed snow like the subies would.  But in normal amounts up to 4 or 5 inches, with decent snows, subies can be just amazing.  My wrx was unstoppable with studded Hakka's on it.  Well, unless it was really cold, in which case the crapbox manual tranny would freeze in gear *sigh*. 

[GoCougs]

It's hard to imagine why those vehicles' AWD systems simply didn't work.

How about the Murano's "stall" on the dirt hill?

[JYODER240]

Fine, every car that's not a sports car. Then again aren't many exotics, Murcielago, Veyron etc AWD?

AWD isn't as pure of a driving experience. The Murcielago and Veyron are both pigs(partialy thanks to AWD).

[AutobahnSHO]

My only subie experience was WYOMING in a 1978 wagon like this one:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:1975_Subaru_DL.jpg[/img]

Although slow as molasses on pavement, it seemed to pick up speed on dirt or snow.
Mine was FWD/4WD and you didn't even have to push the clutch in to switch to 4wd (although you usually had to stop/clutch in to put it back into 2WD.)  The Engine was in FRONT of the front axle, and the sparetire was right next to the air filter.  I did donuts front or backwards.. 

I agree that Subies are extremely capable in snow, as long as it doesn't get too deep.  I passed stuck 4xtrucks all the time in mine. 
I would guess that the gearing (too low 1st compared to a regular car, 2nd was fairly normal) and relatively low HP kept it from spinning the wheels.   I wonder how AWD compares to 4WD but seriously that car was the best snow car around, even with cheap balding all-weather tires..

I drove that thing my last year of high school and a year at college 100miles away.  Highway driving was scary since the WY winds tended to blast it quite a bit, and it couldn't do the speed limit (75mph) up the hills.  BUT the only times I got stranded was because
-none of the tires were touching the ground (slid up on an icebank messing around)
-none of the tires were touching the ground (slid down a ravine, the back tire was about 5ft off the ground)
-snow/mud were up to the driverside window (AFTER we passed a few capable but stuck 4x4 utility trucks  up in the hills)

[Colonel Cadillac]

Where's the Audi? I think they were scared it would beat the Subarus

This one is my favorite of the AWD tests: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-FLbgL7KKQ

[scubie]

Where's the Audi? I think they were scared it would beat the Subarus

This one is my favorite of the AWD tests: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-FLbgL7KKQ

Actually, I've still got an article somewhere where they compared an audi quattro to the wrx when it came out, and they specifically mentioned that if you needed the awd for snow, particularly where the pavement was less than perfect, the subaru was the way to go.

[sandertheshark]

AWD isn't as pure of a driving experience. The Murcielago and Veyron are both pigs(partialy thanks to AWD).

Right.  Stupid-fast pigs, but pigs nonetheless.

[Raghavan]

linky doesn't work.

[the Teuton]

Copy and paste this URL.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7dVFY5CxT0

[Catman]

Original link fixed.

[Raghavan]

I have a question:
Why didn't the CRV and Highlander transfer more power to the rear wheels when the fronts started spinning?

[Colonel Cadillac]

Because they're BAD

[Catman]

Incredible!  Subaru all the way!

[Raghavan]

Because they're BAD

PFFT, stupid FWD based AWD systems.