Redpill me on the RWD/Base Taycan

[TXAG]

It doesn't snow or ice where I live here in Arizona USA, so I got RWD. If I lived where winters have snow or ice, I would have gotten AWD.

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[bsclywilly]

Transmitting power (in the "motivation" sense) to the front wheels necessarily introduces some degree of "muting" into the steering feedback presented to the driver via the steering wheel. In normal driving that may be perceived as "heaviness" or "slowness" as you apply steering inputs - in fact, it's both. In abnormal driving (say, hard acceleration while steering), the front wheels will be asked to drive/apply force in the axis of the movement, and steer - change said the orientation of said axis - and so that feeling of inertia and general imprecision is greater. (In some cars, unequal lengths of the shafts transmitting the rotation to the wheels causes "torque steer", which is ugh.. nasty.)

Well said response. In your paragraph I quoted, I think you’re describing steering torque about the scrub radius (moment arm from your tire contact center to the steering axis) which does add steering feedback due to drive forces, although the scrub radius is generally kept to a minimum for fwd and awd cars or even a slightly negative value to account for tire dynamics under load. Also a big contributor to the understeering AWD car is due to a resisting yaw moment from driving the inside front tire. (Having independent motors in each of the front wheels could solve this.)

Your reply got me thinking for EVs where the front and rear axles are decoupled, perhaps there is more tuning that can be done to minimize the steering feel and understeering effects that traditional AWD drivetrains have. Perhaps the front motor is limited in torque until your steering angle is below some threshold. I’d really like to drive a RWD on the track to compare now.

 

[WasserGKuehlt]

[...] the scrub radius (moment arm from your tire contact center to the steering axis) which does add steering feedback due to drive forces, although the scrub radius is generally kept to a minimum for fwd and awd cars or even a slightly negative value to account for tire dynamics under load.

Funny, as you were typing this I was reading your older replies on a thread about camber settings and the purpose of double wishbone suspension solutions.

For anyone (else) interested, the series of articles on suspension over at The Autopian is really, really good. E.g.: Here's Why Car Wheels Are So Flat These Days (And No, It's Not Just Aerodynamics And Styling) - The Autopian

 

[gusone]

You’re concerned about sliding the rear? Unless you turn off the nannies off and drive like a total knob, you’re not going to slide the rear at all. Disregard the keyboard warriors who claim they slide their car around. It’s almost always total fiction.

Lol.

For the OP the car is heavier than the mass of the sun. Gravity crushes it into the tarmac. It drives like it on rails.

I was also concerned coming from BMW Xdrives. Never planned to own any RWD car. Just liked the security of AWD. Obviously not relevant for the RWD. Love it and don't miss the Xdrive.

 

[ms-in-uk]

I came from a 4WD as well and to echo others, the sheer weight of the car means that I have so far struggled to get any movement from the rear (I have tried). The nanny systems work well, and the dynamics of the car mean that you need to really push to get it out of shape. With winter tyres and a gentle right foot you should be happy.

 

[FMO]

Alright, so we know RWD/Base is the most available allocation/easiest to get. After test driving, the truth is, I don't need any more power nor the Cross Turismo space. No problem with RWD in the winter time - haven't had an issue as long as I've had quality winter tires. I would also end up saving a nice chunk of $.

Now while I like to drive spiritedly, I'm no driving enthusiast, so I don't have the attachment to my vehicle being "tail happy" or having the "RWD driving dynamic". How much does the RWD taycan need to be pushed before one can expect that to happen? Would something like adding rear axle steering/PTV decrease the potential of it happening? Not entirely sure how that would interact with the physics of the RWD driving dynamic. I'm coming into this preferring the driving of the vehicle to be as close to the AWD driving dynamic as possible. Or maybe I could start from scratch and learn to appreciate the RWD driving dynamic? I'm trying to be openminded and appreciative of all perspectives available to me.

So for the RWD lovers and people who have experienced the RWD at length and would like to give some feedback, what do you think I should consider? Treat me as if I am a relative novice to RWD.

Im 18 months with a RWD and I can give you a good personal point of reference - I had an RS6 which is obviously AWD and unless I put the traction control into sport/+ or disable the traction management altogether I would not say there is any discernible difference in the traction levels (albeit the RS6 had over 600 bhp). Mechanical grip is I’m sure far less in the Taycan but not sure that matters in the real world. And to whoever commented about “sliding the rear being fiction” they are mistaken! But it requires the brilliant electronics to be disabled. There was a post on another forum I saw some time ago about the difference between AWD with summer tires and RWD with winter tires and the latter had way more winter condition grip. the advantage in my view of the 4S is acceleration and I honestly think the RWD is more capable and limited in that regard by software … don’t hesitate!

 

[DCYL725]

*Offers a redpill.

 

[f1eng]

I wanted the estate car body because of my dog and tested the Cross Turismo (in July last year) so 4WD was included.
IMO the only engineering reason why the RWD is less theoretically good than AWD is regenerative braking, which is then rear only, of course. I would have considered the standard sports turismo which is RWD, if it had been available.

I doubt it is a real concern in every day driving.

I think if I were going for the RWD I would embrace the simplicity and stick with the lighter coil spring suspension, it does rule out some other options but also keeps the price down!

As an aside, a lot of the video posted above is on a road I drive daily so that is the sort of road, and not motorways, I look for a car to be good on. The only thing I really dislike about the Taycan for my use is the width - weight too obviously and big battery = heavy car (that is why I would not choose the bigger battery for my use here btw)

 

[FlyingPoint]

I have my RWD for 17 months now. For me the purchase decision between the RWD and the 4S was the driving feel in the turns. The 4S front end just felt too heavy for my taste. The RWD drives lighter in the front, hence the drive is more responsive IMO. Since I do not have to call on the RWD for snow duty, traction in those conditions was not a factor.
I get bored easy, so that fact that I still love this car is nothing short of amazing. Power is fine and responsive. I have owned more than a few Porsche. I have never launched one of them, so I guess one could say that off the line power means very little to me. The RWD is more than adequate for the street and highway.

 

[XLR82XS]

I actually watched this video.

 

[NuJerzPorsche]

I have my RWD for 17 months now. For me the purchase decision between the RWD and the 4S was the driving feel in the turns. The 4S front end just felt too heavy for my taste. The RWD drives lighter in the front, hence the drive is more responsive IMO. Since I do not have to call on the RWD for snow duty, traction was in those conditions was not a factor.
I get bored easy, so that fact that I still love this car is nothing short of amazing. Power is fine and responsive. I have owned more than a few Porsche. I have never launched one of them, so I guess one could say that off the line power means very little to me. The RWD is more than adequate for the street and highway.

Nice. do you have the big battery?

 

[FlyingPoint]

Nice. do you have the big battery?

Yes

 

[RBGtaycan]

Taycan has excellent traction for a RWD car.
Partly due to the weight, mostly to do with the excellent Porsche engineering.

The only time I Iose traction daily driving is say, turning out of a junction and the rear wheels accelerate over a wet grid. Just a nano second of rear wheel torque slip before the nannies sort it out.

There are also reports on here from people who live in snowy areas, who say it performs well in snow.

Over the AWD models you do lose some performance. Mostly just accelerating off the line (limited?) but its still very quick once moving.
On the plus side you get a lighter car (it's already heavy) with no motor over the front axle and more precise steering feel.

I had a BMW M2 previous and that felt like a tradition RWD sport car.
My RWD Taycan is nothing like that. Way more sophisticated and engineered. Completely different feel.

I traded in my (1200 mile !) M2 for my Taycan RWD....M2 was Ok but Taycan way better

 

[4thPcar]

So much content here that is better than what I could offer. I have the RWD with PB+ and RAS. I came from a 911S. The two cars share the Porsche DNA but the comparisons end there. I don't feel like I am driving a sports car with the Taycan but I still love it and control is not at all an issue. In fact, I took the 911S and Taycan both on the most winding road I could find in my neighborhood (it was VERY winding) and the Taycan performed better with less lateral motion and what felt like better control. No regrets with my spec at all.

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