Is Front-Wheel Drive or Rear-Wheel Drive Faster in a Straight-Line Acceleration?

[OliveAnn]

Rear-wheel drive cars are faster in straight-line acceleration. During the initial launch, rear-wheel drive vehicles provide better traction on the rear wheels, allowing the car to accelerate more quickly. When a car accelerates, the vehicle's center of gravity shifts backward, causing the front end to lift. For front-wheel drive cars, this reduces the traction on the drive wheels, making it harder to achieve higher speeds in a short time. In front-wheel drive cars, the front wheels are responsible for both steering and driving the car forward, while in rear-wheel drive cars, the front wheels handle steering and the rear wheels handle propulsion. Straight-line drag racers often modify the drive wheels with wider tires to improve traction and minimize wheel spin during launch.