Are the Xtype a front drive predominate car with rear wheels getting traction when needed? Or are they rear wheel drive then transfer to the front? I ask this because as we are teaching my son how to drive I took him to a county park with a large snow and ice covered parking lot to teach him how to recover from spins and slides. I was surprised to find out this thing can do donuts like a rear drive car. OR is something wrong with mine? I have an 04 with the 3.0. thanks in advance, bob.

 

Hey Bob, as I'm sure you may know, your car has AWD ( All Wheel Drive ) with a slight bias towards the rear 60/40 power split

Hope this helps

 

not so sure you are in a position to be teaching your son about controlling skids..... lol... RWD, FWD, and AWD have totally different ways to react to a skid.

It is fundamental to car control to know how the wheels are receiving power. Especially with a non-equal torque biased car like the X-Type. the old "steer into the skid" does not really apply any more.

oh, and as good as this or any car forum is..... google is also your friend.. keeps you from having to ask questions starting with "excuse my ignorance but"

 

you will find the awd will do donuts actually better than a rwd in snow because the fronts will help you get moving better. rwd in snow takes more effort to get it going in order to drift it or do a donuts.
take off traction control (dsc button next to shifter) completely stopped crank front wheels left or right and then pin it,,,it will start spinning in circles.

i DO NOT recommend doing donuts at all..but im just saying she will spin nicely.

 

I on the other hand, highly recomment that a new driver do many drifts and donuts... better in a parking lot than by accident in front of immoveble objects.

The experienced teacher, has the responsibility to find the right parking lot WITHOUT curbs and pole and things to crash into. I also think every driver should go and do a few skids the day/night of the first snowfall... Bring back the reflexes from a summer's nap.

 

That is exactly my thought, better on an open area rather than an emergency situation. I am 56 and have driven for 40 years and still need to remember every winter. Thanks for your thoughts, now I know.

 

RWD - better for pure doughnuts.

AWD - better for doughnut-ish powerslides/drifts

Dunkin Donuts - better for eating doughnuts.

 

The reflexes do benefit from / need a refresh in a clear parking lot at the beginning of each winter. Each car is different, and thats the only real way to get a feel for what its going to do to you / for you when you're in a pinch and there's no time to think.

Its funny how those "unexpected events" seem to unfold in slow motion - you see that thing you're about to hit / that's about to hit you coming at you for sooooooo long - and yet at the same time, its over in the blink of an eye!

 

I lol'd. What, no police references?

 

Oh, it was just too easy to go there.

But if a cop caught you doing doughnuts in a parking lot....you could always say you were just making them for him....

 

you guys... thx for an AM chuckle