Fastest FWD?

A friend asked me this yesterday, and I was befundled by it.

What is the fastest straight line FWD car?

My first thoughts were along the lines of;
GTI 1.8T/VR6
Acura TL
SRT-4 (is this FWD?)

I still can't find an answer.

*edit* Needs to be a stock production car.

  Godlaus

well, technically its Lisa Kubos Saturn Ion, the first front wheel drive drag car to hit sevens.

But for one you can actually buy, Im pretty sure its the SRT-4.

  Zalight

Stock for stock...SRT4 is the fastest in a straight line...in the turns, it's the ITR from 97-01

  NISSANSPDR

Yeah, I'm pretty sure the stock SRT-4 is the fastest front wheeler with a 0-60 time of about 5 to 5 and a half seconds.

  moostang104314

I saw this thread before, either here or in another forum.

I think they proclaimed the fasted available in North America to be the SRT-4, but the fastest worlwide was a European car, possibly a Volvo.

  Mathew

the SRT-4 is turbocharged thats why, and it has a lot of torque so I think its the fastest fwd.

Ok now im curious.. Why do car makers make FWD cars? Why do they not keep it RWD? What bennifits does a FWD have over a RWD?

  CarEXPERT

a FWD car will have a much easier time in bad weather because it will have the weight of the engine over the tires that will be driving the car

  griffinstud78

true, driving in the snow in a RWD car is not really fun. (can't ever get control), but by your logic, a porsche would also do well in the snow (not).

Also, it's easier to put together a FWD car, instead of a RWD one, making it cheaper to produce, which is what car companies aim for.

  Godlaus

Economy is the only reason automakers make fwd cars. Its cheaper, so thats why they do it. If it was cheaper to make rwd, youd see one hell of a lot more rwd cars running around.

As for bad weather driving, no, Its not any better than rwd, you can still loose control (its just a little easier in a rwd car, but you still have to be careless to do it). All wheel drive is the only real confidence inspiring layout in bad weather conditions.

  Zalight

im just going by what ive been told by many people because i wouldnt know. when it snows i drive my explorer which is a 4x4

  griffinstud78

FWD makes things more compact.... meaning a lighter vehicle and much cheaper and easier to assemble (for the factor atleast). since FWD's use transverse mounted engines, the car can be made even more compact, or leave more space for the interiors (depending on the case).

  Inygknok

True, but not set in stone.

The V6 Passat has a longitudely(sp?) mounted engine but its a FWD.

  Mathew

yea, so does one of the models of sebring.

  Zalight

?? How does that work? I mean how does it drive the front wheels when the flywheel is facing the back??

  CarEXPERT

Special transmission. Think Volkswagen.

  88GrandPrixSE

I dont know. Does the tranny curve or something???

  CarEXPERT