“Front-wheel drive is safe” - we probably hear this about one hundred times per day. Yes, feeding the front axle with power results in a more predictable handling than if you turn to those cheeky rear wheels, but, in the end, it’s up to the driver to keep things under control. We are here to show you what happens when the person behind the wheel goes beyond the borders of FWD safety.
For this, we shall travel to the Nurburgring (where else) and talk about a tuned Volkswagen Golf II GTI attempting to hotlap the Nordschleife. Judging by the decals on the car, this is no stranger to motorsport events and its driver seems to be determined to track the Green Hell out of it.
The Golf approaches a line of cars a tad too fast, with the driver braking late ahead of a right-hander. Either due to misjudged trailbraking or lift-off oversteer, the Volkswagen’s rear end steps out.
The driver countersteers, but the serious sideways condition of the car requires him to insist on this. The result? As on many such occasions, the driver overcorrects, sending the car spinning the other way.
After what appears to be a piece of no-ABS braking, the sideways traveling Golf’s front end smashes into the barrier on the left of the track. The crash is pretty violent, being followed by a second impact, this time at the rear of the hatch.
With the front apron standing next to the car and the radiator bleeding, this was one tough FWD driving lesson.
In his quest to bring you the most impressive automotive creations, Andrei relies on learning as a superpower. There's quite a bit of room in the garage that is this aficionado's heart, so factory-condition classics and widebody contraptions with turbos poking through the hood can peacefully coexist. Full profile
Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?
Google News