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There is something pure feeling about steering a car when the front wheels aren't trying to do anything other than turn. I haven't driven a G80 yet, but I'd be curious to drive the xDrive back to back with the RWD to see how they really feel when sitting in the driver's seat and opening up the steering wheel while powering out of a turn. That special feeling (or lack thereof?) would be the deciding factor for me. The 1/2 second in this test just doesn't matter for a car like this. Where are people racing 4000 lbs luxury saloons against one another? Drag racers, maybe, but I cringe at the idea that someone buys this car only to put their foot down to go in a straight line. *yawn* You could buy a Tesla and be much happier if that's your goal.
Also, AWD does nothing to help a vehicle stop or turn better. The tires have whatever inherent grip they will have. Therefore, I don't accept the notion that AWD automatically makes for a better daily driver just because you can accelerate off the line faster in slippery road conditions. Big deal. It's not like you are towing or going off-roading where AWD actually has a purpose and a job to do.
I'm not hating on the AWD option by any means. If it sells and they still offer RWD, then everyone is winning. It's a great thing that more people can be happy. However, for me, the additional weight penalty on an already hefty car, a more forward-biased weight distribution, and a more complicated drivetrain in terms of maintenance and cost simply could never be worth the ability to take off from a dead stop a little bit quicker. Again, unless you're racing someone in your 4000 lbs road car, that is all you would be gaining by going AWD. Maybe I'm missing something!
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