Quote:
Originally Posted by BruceOmega
I was asking a slightly different question. Putting aside for the moment the S4 and the non-availability of a sport suspension with AWD-
Given the 335i RWD with a sport suspension has a slightly lower ride height than the 335i AWD, does the AWD have a lower center of gravity?
Thanks
Bruce
|
The sport suspension does not come on the 3 series xdrive in either sport or m-sport lines (I assume you are referring to this), which I understand is due to clearance issues with the extra underbody hardware. The sport suspension includes a 10mm drop, so the xdrive variant will have a higher COM, I doubt the 150lbs underneath is enough to offset this.
If you only consider the non-sport 3 series lines, then yes, the COM would be marginally lower. The larger effect on the dynamics involve the pitch and yaw moments of inertia. This calculation is proportional to distance squared, so sticking a lot of mass in the front of the vehicle will throw off the natural balance of the car more so than you'd think. I know driving dynamics are more complex than this, but the 50-50 balance of the BMW is what gives the legendary handling...
As mentioned, you can still get the DHP package on xdrive, which allows you to stiffen things up.