I recently downloaded a .torrent of the East Belgian Rallies and I saw in the video a Nissan 350Z and a Porsche Boxster. This struck me as odd because as you know both of their street versions are RWD and I'm assuming that for the rally application they would have to be AWD. So my question is, are they?

Also, if they are I wonder how feasible it would be to modify one of their street counterparts for personal use. I really like AWD cars, and I want one but I want one with a bigger engine (at least a V6, preferably a V8) and I definitely wouldn't want a sedan or hatchback. Anyway thanks.

They don't have to be AWD to be rally cars. The original Mini was a very competitive rally car with it's FWD layout, and there were a number of Saabs and Volvos that did quite well early on. There were RWD cars that did well, also.

Today, in lower-rung competition, Civic Type R's and other FWD cars are quite competitive to the AWD competition.

The second part of the equation, well, you're on your own. AWD cars are far from the end-all, and the normal rear driven versions of the Boxster and Z are perfectly fine cars in their own rights. And really, both would be miserable rally cars. The reason most sucessful rally cars are hatchbacks is because hatchbacks generally have shorter wheelbases and less overhang in the front and back...very handy when you get going about 90mph in the woods. A big, swoopy coupe would be very hard to handle and negotiate in that situation, and that's why there haven't been any in years.

If you want one or the other with an AWD layout, well, anything can be done, of course, but you've got to have money and the right people.

Well, there ya have it, VTEC has answered your questions.

A rally car doesn't HAVE TO be AWD (although it would be much better, and depending on the rally series the cars are entering). The JWRC has FWD cars running. And before 1980, no one really thought AWD could be practical for rallies.

Also, rallies don't always take place off-pavement. There are also tarmac rallies.....

Yeah it looked like the first part was on pavement but then it went to some pretty heavy looking mud, so I thought they must have been AWD to maintain grip and power to get through that. I was surprised to see the Z and Boxster in the video, I never thought I'd see that and I've only recently begun to take more of an interest in the sport of rallying so I suppose I have a lot to learn.

Yeah it looked like the first part was on pavement but then it went to some pretty heavy looking mud, so I thought they must have been AWD to maintain grip and power to get through that. I was surprised to see the Z and Boxster in the video, I never thought I'd see that and I've only recently begun to take more of an interest in the sport of rallying so I suppose I have a lot to learn.

Rally cross is a really complicated sport, frankly. I don't know a whole heckuva lot about it, either, except that you've got to have some stones to drive those cars the way those dudes do, and that the rules are confusing (to me, at least). It is hella fun to watch, though. I enjoy watching WRC more than just about any other motorsport on TV.

I've only done some driving remotely close to rally-crossing once and you have got to be on all the time. I actually ended up shredding a tire on a stump and had to put on the little spare donut and then limp out of the woods. That was in my younger brother's Mitsubishi Expo out near a campsite my family used to go to.

I've seen the 350Z rallying in some motor-racing tv-show, but I don't remember a Boxster. Also there was a 911 with a big wing on the back, maybe the GT3.

I guess they have so good tires and suspensions and diffs that they don't need AWD. Still, I wouldn't want to be driving a tuned RWD 350Z in muddy conditions :D

I remember watching the European Autocross Rally championship a while ago and there was a 996 Porsche 911 Turbo racing and a GT3, the cars looked really smart and went like stink.

People will rally anything, provided it doesn't get stuck and keeps going then it doesn't matter how many wheels are spinning!

As for converting a car to AWD, you have to consider their mechanical layout. The 350Z is by no means a light car to begin with, so loosing all of the excessive weight would be imperative, and then the mechanical engineering up front for the extra drivetrain will add all the weight back on. It will also blunt the acceleration and power, unless those are upgraded too. You have to consider whether it is worth radically changing a well-balanced sportscar when the advantages are negligible.

Chris.

there were a number of Saabs that quite totally dominatedFixed. :D

Why yes, I do love my older Saabs (until GM ruined the brand).