The Different Types of Drivetrains in Motor Sport Racing
A drivertrain in motor sport racing refers to the components that delivers the power to drive the wheels. This includes the transmission, axles, the driveshaft and wheels. Let's take a look at the different types of drivetrains in motor sport racing.
Front-Wheel Drive
Front wheel horse drawn carts were produced in early automotive days and the first production automobile is believed to have been made in 1899. The drivechain in a front-wheel drive will only drive the front wheels with the back wheels rotating freely as the car is propelled forward by the front wheels.
The front-wheel drive layout is found in mostly small and inexpensive cars and gained popularity with icons such as the British Mini. It wasn't until the 1970's that North America started to take front-wheel drive cars seriously following skyrocketing gas prices. Many people began downgrading their cars to smaller Japanese models and popular models included the Nissan 300ZX, Toyota Supra and the Nissan Skyline. In the 1980's American car manufacturers started producing more front-wheel drive cars.
The main advantage of front-wheel drive cars is that it offers excellent traction, good fuel economy and is lower in cost to manufacture. There are however many disadvantages particularly with race cars. The front wheels do the majority of the work in a front-wheel setup, placing significant pressure on them especially at higher speeds. Because a car turns from the front, the turning radius is larger as the front wheels also propels a front-wheel drive vehicle forward.
Braking systems aren't as good as other drivetrain types either. The entire weight during heavy braking stays entirely on the front which increases the risk of spinning the car out. And unlike other drivetrains, a front-wheel drive operates optimally on smoother surfaces and does not handle well on rougher terrains. Despite the flaws, they're most popular for an every day car and is a fun car to drive on the track.
Rear-Wheel Drive
In a rear-wheel drive setup the rear wheels are provided with the torque from the drivetrain with engines typically mounted longitudinally. Rear-wheel drive frees up the front wheels to specialise in steering which gives greater freedom in steering and cornering. Front-wheel drives are considered more sensible but aren't as fun as rear-wheel drivetrains which offers the ability to drift around corners.
The downside is that it's more expensive to run over a front-wheel drive, it can be very difficult to handle in wet conditions, is more prone to oversteer and is easier to fishtail in general as a rear-wheel drive car will push out around corners. Despite the disadvantages, it's the most common drivetrain for sports and high performance cars as the weight of a car will transfer to the rear upon accelerating providing an ideal balance across the car.
Despite the trend of manufacturers favouring a front-wheel drive setup, high end cars across the Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Jaguar range have generally retained their rear-wheel drive status over the years despite the changing trends. In terms of race cars, the rear-wheel drivetrain is the most popular as it offers a better balanced track performance and it's the typical setup you're likely to see in high performance motor sport racing.
All-Wheel Drive
A four-wheel drive system refers to a drivetrain where both the axles are provided with torque to all four wheels simultaneously. The British produced Jensen FF was the first all-wheel drive road car in 1966 and the American AMC Eagle became the first mass produced car with the system in 1979.
The German built Audi Quattro however is famous for revolutionising rally racing in 1980 thanks to its all-wheel drive system. The Quattro A1 would debut at the World Rally Championship in 1983 and the all-wheel drive system in the Quattro served as the benchmark for future all-wheel drive setups.
All-wheel drive is advantageous over other drivetrains in slippery conditions which is why it's become a key part of rally racing. When traction is low it's easier to accelerate with better traction and less tire slippage than other drivetrains due to the balanced wheelspin across a car.
The main disadvantage is that all-wheel drive is more complex than other drivetrains and repairs and maintenance is more expensive. There's also the added weight of all-wheel drives which means it takes a longer distance for a car to be able to stop.
Four-Wheel Drive
Four-Wheel Drive, or 4WD, is often mixed up with an All-Wheel Drive system and the terms can be used interchangeably. They share similarities as both drivetrains deliver power directly to all four wheels. The difference is that 4WD offers greater flexibility across each wheel with the addition of a differential which allows the left and right wheels and front and rear axles to operate at different speeds for maximum traction.
This makes the system perfect for off-roading and is used on SUVs and pickup trucks. The drivetrain also has a high gear as well as a low gear, which is used to increase low-speed climbing.
The main disadvantage is the added cost of a Four-Wheel drive system both in terms of production and in maintenance costs.
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