[Hal Copple]

having had a much modified Turbo AWD Eclipse, running about 300 hp, for a decade before i got my SPF, and being part of that crowd at the dragsrips, i have to say the AWD cars are in a different class. In a quarter mile run, much of the ET is due to the launch, and a well driven AWD car can really hurtle forward out of the lights. I have seen AWD DSM cars, street driven, with around 350-400 hp run mid 10's in the quarter mile. But much of that is in the launch. Rev to 7500 rpm, drop the clutch, and chirp and then gone. If you want to beat a fast AWD car, it would be best to challange him from a low speed roll-on, where his AWD launch would be negated. Or, given the fragile nature of their drivetrains subjected to such never intended abuse, just challange the AWD car to a hundred quarter mile runs, and wait until he breaks an axle or transaxle.

Very different cars, probably appealing to very different drivers.

I have had both.