AWD For Every Car?

[Pete Kraus <Pete_Kraus@Emory.Org>]

Previous comments:

>Something tells me that AWD is going to turn out like ABS; every car
>will have it either standard or as an option, eventually.

>I have said many times to my friends, "I don't unerstand why every car 
>does not come with all wheel drive.  Any negatives are easily won over
>by the obvious positives.  I just dont get it."

In a narrow sense this is already happening.  Witness the popularity of
SUVs.  But SUVs will fade eventually, overtaken by the next automotive
trend.  Will it include AWD?  Debatable.  Not because AWD isn't
wonderful - we all know the benefits of a well-engineered system.  In
order to become a universal option, AWD will have to be perceived by
the non-enthusiast car-buying public as falling into at least one of the
following categories:  a) cost competitive  b) near-indispensable  c)
trendy.  Maybe it could be legislated (boo, hiss) into universality as a
safety feature.  Or perhaps if there are electric cars in our polluted
future, they'll be driven by four motors, one at each wheel.  All these
notions seem speculative to me.  Electronic traction control in
conjunction with ABS, though not nearly as good as AWD, is currently
more cost effective and may be deemed good enough for the majority of
drivers.  OTOH, who knows what new technological advances are to
come?

Pete
Pete_Kraus@emory.org
'85 4KSQ
'89 F250 4x4 diesel
'95 Z28