Re: Motorweek shortchanges AMC

[adh@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (Sandwich Maker)]

" From: Roger Blake <rogblake@xxxxxxxxx>
" 
" Rhett Butler wrote:
" > And technically, I suppose, the Eagle was never available with AWD. The
" > Eagle came with 4WD.
" 
" As I understand it, the difference between "4WD" and "AWD" is that
" the former cannot be used on dry pavement due to the lack of a center
" differential, and therefore are part-time systems. (This is the case
" with the early Subarus as well as the old Jeep 4WD wagons of the late
" 1940s.)

getting technical again, i'd class awd as a subset of 4wd, since in
both cases all 4 wheels are powered.  '4wd classic' is as you say.

" Since all AMC Eagles have a center differential and can be left in
" "4-wheel-drive" under all conditions, including on dry pavement, they
" actually should be classified as "all-wheel-drive" vehicles.

and they weren't, because 'awd' hadn't yet been coined.

" Of course things get even more confused since AMC themselves used the
" terms "Automatic 4-wheel drive," "4-wheel-drive," and "Select Drive" to
" describe the Eagle's capabilitites.

i've also heard 'fulltime 4wd' for similar systems of the era.
________________________________________________________________________
Andrew Hay                                  the genius nature
internet rambler                            is to see what all have seen
adh@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx                       and think what none thought