BorgWarner gets tapped to provide AWD system for Avenger
Following on the heels of the successful AWD adaptation of the Chrysler Pacifica, Borg Warner has been tapped once again to outfit the
Whether or not AWD is entirely necessary (a full suite of four snow tires and a prudent driver are often nearly as effective) remains to be seen, but it is popular. With the buying public being sold on AWD as a safety feature, it benefits manufacturers when they can offer it on more of their models, and it's a further benefit when the platform doesn't need much re-engineering for the extra hardware.
UPDATE: PRNewswire has issued a correction stating that the release should not have specified the Chrysler Sebring at all. The news applies only to the Dodge Avenger.
[Source: Borg Warner via prnewswire - Sub Req'd]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
srivendel 4:44PM (2/13/2007)
Snow tires are not "nearly" as effected as AWD in the white stuff. They are much MORE effective. Please, give me an Avenger with FWD and snow tires instead of one with AWD and all-seasons for driving in snow and slush. Modern snow tires are incredible. We ran them during the winter when we lived in Chicago and our little Corolla was exceptionally sure footed while AWD SUVs were sliding into the ditches.
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Tim UF 4:48PM (2/13/2007)
it could also be that the corolla has much less intertia for those tires to work against compared to those SUV's.
That said, i'll take my AWD subaru impreza with snow tires any day of the week against those big suv's!
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Dan 5:01PM (2/13/2007)
@1 If you feel that snow tires help you more than AWD, then you don't need snow tires either. Of course, AWD is a much better solution, it doubles the traction and improves the handling through corners. No snow tire can do this. AWD makes throttle input much less stressful in icing conditions than snow tires.
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jordan 10:36AM (2/16/2007)
The Avenger looks attractive in that pic, it almost makes me forget it's FWD (standard).
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Doc Lucas 5:36PM (2/13/2007)
I too noticed the "SUV in the ditch" phenomenon while I plodded along in my old, small FWD cars. IMHO, these drivers are too aggressive, in too much of a hurry, and the SUV enables them to get into trouble. Plus, a lot of body on frame 4WD trucks spend a lot of time in 2WD mode because of burning more gas, wear and tear in mixed conditions, etc.
But imagine this... you step outside to go to work, there's a foot of fresh snow, you walk right past the shovel and snow thrower, start your vehicle up, shift into 4WD, and go. Beauty. Moving snow is no way to start the day.
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mkbruin 12:07PM (2/15/2007)
your FWD corolla wouldn't live through this winter in Colorado. There are times/places where AWD matter, all you who put on a sweater when it reaches 65* have no idea whatsoever.
My stratus has spent more than 2 weeks parked in the drive since October and I took the Jeep instead. 80% of that time I couldn't make it out of the drive, let alone the street, in the stratus. Tires don't matter nearly as much as having AWD/4wd.
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Scott 6:14PM (2/13/2007)
If AWD is the new FWD, and we can tell torque steer to not let the door hit it in the ass on the way out, I'm all for it.
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NoNameDenton 7:52PM (2/13/2007)
Too bad the Chrysler suffers from ugliness, and the Dodge is far too, well the Dodge needs some work as well to compete against Toyota and Honda, even the Ford cars are better
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MikeW 7:56PM (2/13/2007)
AWD is/was an Audi trademark term.
Way back in 1902 spyker made a nice four wheel drive car. 3 differenentials; front, center, rear.
In the '70s after the oil crisis, the big three got together to improve mileage and avoid the new CAFE, so they defrauded the public by selling off-road drive as four wheel drive. The put disconnects at the front hub and at the chain or gear power transfer. They now idled the drivetrain from the front wheels to the axleshaft.
The NP203 was four wheel drive, and had a center differential lock, and had the ability to be in low range with the center differential unlocked.
Mass is irrelevant to braking, so an 'SUV' has higher weight, it also has more force from the ground. Mass cancels out, so you are left with tires as the great equalizer.
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Kowell 8:21PM (2/13/2007)
I'll have to agree with #2... When winter tires are more effective than AWD, you don't know the meaning of winter conditions.
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srivendel 12:17AM (2/14/2007)
"When winter tires are more effective than AWD, you don't know the meaning of winter conditions."
Right. Give me that Gallardo on racing slicks and I'm ready to tackle the Rockies in winter. Obviously AWD with snow tires would be better than FWD with snow tires, but the tires make more difference than the driven wheels. And how, exactly, does AWD help you stop better?
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Dan 2:58AM (2/14/2007)
#9 So you think that a Ferrari F430 with winter tires drives better in winter conditions than a Gallardo with all season tires??
Winter condition is mix of dry, wet, muddy, icy and covered in snow roads. Winter tires offer better traction in snow, but are worse on dry roads, and can be very dangerous on wet or muddy roads (due to aquaplanning). So, unless you're changing the tires every day during the winter, winter tires can be a pretty poor match for the winter roads compared to all season tires.
Regarding driving in snow: snow tires do improve acceleration (less than 50/50 AWD) and braking (more than AWD) but they have significantly worse handling through corners compared to AWD. If you are driving in an area covered in snow for the whole winter, winter tires are a good idea. If the roads are a mix of dry, wet, muddy, icy and snowy conditions, then all-season tires might be better. AWD offers better handling and traction in all weather conditions.
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JL 3:11PM (2/14/2007)
#10, I don't know when was the last time you looked at winter tires but some today can handle dry and wet conditions in addition to snow and ice on par with all-seasons when the temperatures are low, and that is the key. One of the main goals of making a winter tire besides handling snow/ice is having rubber that is soft enough to give good traction when the temperature is below freezing. We don't have the technology in rubber to make an all-season tire that can handle going over 100F in the summer and 3F in the winter all while immediately giving high levels of traction. Yes, the best bet is AWD and winter tires but AWD only helps with accelerating in rough conditions, but it certainly won't help you stop any quicker, which may be more important in an emergency situation.
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Chet 4:38PM (2/14/2007)
Adding all-wheel drive might sell a few more of these also-rans in the Northeast -- "when it's gotta be 'domestic' and it's gotta be cheap" -- it's hardly this midsizer's saving throw.
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