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its a good discussion, and it hasnt gotten too silly yet lol.
i think the whole power to weight ratio argument is highly exaggerated, and is definately 'pub talk'. there are many cars out there, with seemingly incomparible power to weight ratios and the outcome would be very suprising. you cant base an argument on power to weight. For in gear acceleration in a straight line, perhaps, but it doesnt always prevail.
my thinking is (scenario in my head), lets say we have a fwd 350hp car in a corner, now there is only so fast a car goes round a corner, maybe slight difference between fwd and 4wd, but the apex speed will ultimately come down to chassis spec and setup rather than which wheel drive it is, anyway. Now lets say a 4wd 350hp car, maybe 100kg heavier, very similar chassis spec and setup is in the same corner, similar speed.... are you guys telling me the 4wd varient couldnt 1.accelerate sooner out of that corner, and 2.accelerate harder giving it a slight edge out of a corner? literally, point, plant, go, all 350hp deployed asap.
now i know you're going to mention power to weight, and the fwd will catch and overtake. but will it really, or will the 4wd have the edge ever so much, that once they are both doing similar speeds, lets say 3 figures, aerodynamics becomes the over coming factor, making weight meaningless, so the fwd doesnt catch up, or overtake.
all theoretical i know. But there HAS to be a point where the benefits of 4wd or rwd are worth it.
and whoever mentioned BTCC cars, they are power restricted to 300hp, have thousands of pounds of R&D spent on the car, have lsds, slicks, and fully tested aero mods. so hardly an argument
what you dont seem to realise is the extra weight, from entry to mid corner is also trying to slide off the heavier car from its momentum.. The additional weight carries its own inertia, and for the same contact patch from tyres, the lighter car will have a higher corner speed and be able to brake later, exit faster... Only thing 4wd has is more traction.