How Much Faster Is AWD In The Wet And In The Dry?
The super saloon power war was always going to lead to the near-necessity of all-wheel drive. Theres only so much grunt you can be sent to the rear wheels before traction becomes an issue even in bone dry conditions, so its no surprise at all to see the latest Mercedes-AMG E63 and BMW M5 drive the front wheels too. Even the G80 M3 is available with an xDrive system now, and like the setup on the bigger M5 and the E63, its switchable. Systems like these finally allow us to answer the AWD vs RWD question with all of the variables taken out - you can have the same car doing one lap with all wheels powered, and with a few button pushes, the next with only the rears getting torque. AWD is always going to be faster in the wet, and it should usually have the legs in RWD in the dry, too. And not just for mere mortals - I remember asking the pro drivers BMW brought along to the G30 M5 launch a few years ago, and they insisted AWD was quicker. Up until now, we havent, as far as we can tell, had a properly geeky, in-depth comparison. Happily, we know someone whos done just that - Tyre Reviews.