Front-wheel-drive performance cars are a controversial topic. Ask a Mini or VW GTI aficionado, and they’ll tell you FWD is the greatest thing since sliced bread. Muscle car enthusiasts, on the other hand, often shun anything driven at the “wrong” end. One thing everyone can agree on, though, is that it’s no fun when the front wheels yank the steering wheel out of your hands on hard acceleration – the dreaded “torque steer.” Today, we’re going to check out a couple of high-powered FWD cars guaranteed to make you wrestle with them.
Yesterday was all about second chances, and which of two abandoned projects deserved one. You’re a brave lot, I’ll tell you that – the old Rolls-Royce won in a landslide. Ain’t nothing like the real thing, I guess.
I agree. A cheap kit car would be a fun thing to tinker with, but not that one. I’d rather have something VW-based; it just seems like an easier way to go, and if you end up hating the body that’s on it, you can always swap it out. A beached whale of a Rolls-Royce would be a massive undertaking, but at least it might class up the place sitting there dead.
Nearly every car manufacturer switched to a transverse engine and front-wheel-drive during the 1980s, for one reason: packaging. Put all the driveline components at one end, and you have the whole rest of the car for people and cargo. But using the same wheels to drive as you use to steer can be a tricky business, especially when you crank up the horsepower. Careful engineering can tame most of a FWD car’s bad habits, but there’s still a chance it will want to go straight when you want to turn. It’s an unnerving sensation, and some people just hate it. If you’re one of them, then I’m afraid today’s cars might not be for you. But let’s check them out, and see if you can give them a fair shake.
1984 Dodge Daytona Turbo – $4,995
Engine/drivetrain: Turbocharged 2.2-liter OHC inline 4, five-speed manual, FWD
Location: Hillsboro, OR
Odometer reading: 118,000 miles
Operational status: Runs and drives great
Whatever you think of the old Chrysler K-based cars – and I know most of you aren’t fans – you have to give Chrysler credit for making a lot with a little. They’re kind of like Taco Bell: Everything is the same eight ingredients, but somehow they keep coming up with new menu items. What we have here is something that can’t rightly be called a sports car, but I think it’s fair to call it a pony car. The Daytona, and its sister model the Chrysler Laser, may have been K-cars under the skin, but that skin looked mighty good, and still does today.
1984 was the first year for Chrysler’s turbocharged 2.2 liter engine. It made 142 horsepower, a figure that would climb to great heights in later years, but take it from a former ’84 Laser Turbo owner – this car has plenty of power. This one has received a lot of love: the seller has rebuilt everything, and restored all the mechanical systems to like-new condition. Apparently they run a restoration shop. A Dodge Daytona may seem like an unlikely car to receive such treatment to some of you, but I for one am delighted to see it.
The Daytona isn’t much like a garden-variety K car inside, either. It has nice leather bucket seats, all kinds of fancy power options, and, possibly, the talking Electronic Message Center. That’s right: this car’s doors might very well be jars. It’s in really good shape inside, though there is evidence of Chrysler’s haphazard build quality everywhere. It’s just something you deal with on a car like this, and really, it’s no worse than a Jaguar or an Alfa Romeo of the same vintage.
The paint is pretty dull, and I don’t know how well it would shine back up. It must have been parked outside for a long time. You could repaint it, but you’d have to find someone to reproduce those “Turbo” graphics on the bottom of the doors. It wouldn’t be complete without them.
2009 Chevrolet Impala SS – $4,200
Engine/drivetrain: 5.3-liter OHV V8, four-speed automatic, FWD
Location: Manor, TX
Odometer reading: 154,000 miles
Operational status: Runs and drives well
The Impala nameplate has a long history behind it. It was introduced in 1958 as the top-of-the-line full-size Chevy, and has come and gone a couple of times over the years. In 2000, Chevy brought back the Impala name on a new front-wheel-drive sedan, much to the chagrin of classic Chevy fans.
A high-performance Super Sport version of the Impala is a tradition dating all the way back to 1960. The FWD Impala SS debuted in 2004, with a supercharged 3800 V6, but when the bodystyle changed in 2006, Chevy upped the ante. This 2009 Impala SS has a 5.3 liter LS4 V8 under its hood, sending 303 horsepower to the front wheels. It can run low 14s in the quarter mile – for as long as the transmission holds up. They’re notorious for failing. This one has recently had its transmission replaced, so it should be good to go for a while, but be nice to it if you want it to last.
It shows some wear inside. The carpet is rough, and there’s a popped seam on the driver’s seat. But the seller says the heat and air conditioning work just fine, so that’s something. Make sure you try out all the power features to find out if anything is broken.
This ad has terrible photos, but from what I can tell the car is in good condition outside. Photographing a car in the rain is an old trick to make it look shiny, but it can’t hide peeling clearcoat, and I don’t see any signs of that. It does have some deeply-tinted windows, which you may or may not like. It’ll cost you around a hundred bucks to have it taken off.
So on the one hand, you have a turbocharged FWD car from a time when automakers were still trying to tame its bad habits, and on the other you have a V8-powered beast that eats transmissions. Either one will show you some bad habits if you push it hard enough. But both could be a lot of fun to drive despite those bad habits. Which one speaks to you?
The Daytona. Simple, light, fun, easy to tinker and swap parts.
Not sure how much the Impala shares with the Malibu. But my mom had a 09 Malibu. Had this electric power steering. The dealer paid for it the first 2 times it failed because of warranty. She had to eat the cost of the 3rd replacement. Then when she had to take it to a body shop to have the bumper removed, to do something as routine as changing a headlight bulb, that was the last straw.
I seem to be in the minority today. I rented a number of Impalas back in aughts and always found them pleasant to drive. They were all NA 3800s, but that felt perfectly adequate.
The scene in The Bourne Ultimatum where he commandeers a NYC PD Impala is pretty epic. I didn’t do that with my rentals. I can’t imagine those stunts would have gone so well in the Daytona.
Anyway, a V8 FWD Impala sounds bonkers. And I’ll pay for the occasional AT. I do worry about it being nose-heavy around corners. The 3800s were pretty decent at doing what I asked of them in the curves.
I think I’m driving its 2017 equivalent, a Honda V6 Accord. 0-60 5.6 seconds, 14.2 1/4 mile, total FWD tire roaster. But hey… 35-40 MPG on the freeway at 70+
While I’ve been a GM guy for a long time, today I’ll pick the 2-door 5-speed over the 4-door automatic. I just like the looks better.
If the Impala was the 2-door Monte Carlo SS version, I’d probably want both today. 🙂
In a past life I worked at a car dealership. At the time I was still driving my final year Seville STS. It was a smooth car that you could absolutely tell that GM spent a lot of time and money (as misguided as it was) eliminating the FWD-ness as much as they possibly could to make a plausible BMW competitor. You’d scarcely believe how buttoned up and playful a 4000 pound FWD car could be made to drive unless you were pushing one down back roads. It wasn’t a 540i by any means, but MagneRide was pure wizardry even in its original application; and whatever sleeper cell programming GM did for the 4T80E that activated when you were wailing on it could even make you forget you only had 4 gears.
One time we had an Impala SS come in on trade, and I was able to go wring its neck once before it went through detailing and got listed. Let me tell you, GM did not spend any time or money whatsoever making that 300HP 4-speed FWD car handle or have steering feel or really feel sporty at all.
This was a really fun post to read. “Playful” was not a term I expected as an adjective for a Seville STS. But I have never driven one.
The cops I talked to (not from the back seat) back then seemed to prefer the Impalas over the Crown Vics. At least during a pursuit.
I don’t often talk to LEOs anymore, so I don’t know what they thought of police package Chargers or pretty damn fast Explorers and even Tahoes in which they patrol.
I’m not hauling the kids around anymore. give me the two door manual. I don’t need any 4 door slushbox with my torque steer. Give me that turbo, leather interior, 4 on the floor, two door joy of a mid-aged crisis post-divorce car. That’s what sarks jor for this kid.
“mid-aged crisis post-divorce car” Wow. That was dark and spot on.
Definitely the Impala SS. The W-bodies are solid vehicles and there are plenty of mods available for them. Replace the carpeting, repair the seat and you are all set. The owner forums are well supported. Plus, it has airbags, ABS, 4 wheel discs, and rear independent suspension, which you are not going to get on the ’84 Daytona.
As I’ve stated many times before, I bought a new ’84 Daytona Turbo. Stay away from this good looking nightmare.
A little surprised so many are ok with a buzzy K-car but I can see some of the appeal.
I’ll stick with boring but fast (and a helluva lot safer) Chevy. Those tints would have to go, though.
I prefer torque steer to reach my hands via wheel adorned with a griffen. This is the best torque steer.
The Daytona is neat though.
You’re referring to Saabs, right? They were wonderful cars. I test drove a 99 in 1977. I was so impressed I talked a friend into buying one. He was a staid IBM software engineer, and that car transformed him into “a wild and crazy guy.”
I didn’t notice THAT much torque steer in my ’88 9000T. I loved that car. The most handsome car I have ever owned.
I’m certain my ’17 Accord V6 is faster than that Saab was, and somehow, torque steer is not a problem or even noticeable unless ice is involved. And it’s not like I am doing maximum performance take offs anymore. I like my transmission. I don’t want to hurt it. And I no longer live in TX, where passes around a tractor doing 35 mph on a two-lane 75 mph FM road required a firm application of your foot on the right pedal. And there wasn’t any ice around then.
Yes indeed. I had a ’96 900 Turbo 3-door that when giving it the beans, would pull to the right a good bit.
It didn’t really bother me much though, it was fun.
There’s a guy around here who has a pristine red (not my favorite color) convertible (not my favorite form) 900 Turbo that is just so beautiful. It just looks so nice that it overcomes all my biases. That it only comes out on PNW evenings when the weather is perfect for a convertible might be a factor.
The Daytona is a cooler color, but the price is crackhead and doesn’t even have T-tops. $3000 max would be fair.
The Impala is the better choice here. If you were really lucky, you could get one with a front bench seat. My favorite of the bailout-era big V8 FWD LS4 cars is the Lacrosse Super. Of course, GM was too stupid to give it a transmission drain plug, but an aftermarket pan fixes that.
I’m a sucker for all that brown in and out in the Daytona and it looks like all important mechanical and body parts are there. Cherry on top, you can find reproduction gold turbo badges for the Daytona in Ebay. for $30
The overwhelming amount of cheap, grubby plastics and black in the Impala is just too much.
Tough call. I secretly liked that style of Daytona as a kid (racing for pinks…), but have no use for one now.
Can the Impala motor be a doner for something else and then part out the rest?
maybe a fiero being its transverse
If the Daytona had been shabbier, I might’ve just gone for the Impala. But as specimens go, this Dodge is all right, and I do like them. It’d be fun to drive.
I am an unabashed fan of the W-body Impala. They’re great comfy cruisers for crushing highway miles. I don’t want a V8 one. These aren’t meant to be performance cars, and working on that thing would be a nightmare.
The Daytona is a car I’ve always liked the looks of. And although I’m not a fan of the paint color, it’s at least got some charm. I’ll have the Daytona.
This is a tough choice, and NOT because I like both cars. I never took to the style of the Daytonas and the crappy interior quality would drive me nuts every time I sat down in the thing. But it’s smaller than the Impala (which is a plus for me), has a manual trans, and would have to handle better. I like the styling of the Impala, the new tranny is a plus, and it would make a fine freeway cruiser that would get you up to 80 mph on a short onramp with no problem. Then again, it’s not as sorted as the Dodge, the seat needs work, and it’s hard to tell just how it looks.
Heads – it’s the Impala.
After reading that the transaxle has been replaced, I was leaning Impala, since it would actually be a somewhat useful addition to my garage. But I really want the Daytona, practicality be damned. They were no Mustangs or Camaros, but they were pretty good looking, interesting cars, and those wheels are on my Mt Rushmore of factory OEM wheels.