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The car has been a project that we’ve been able to track through That Racing Channel on YouTube and in this latest video, they go for their first drive. Back in December, we saw the first parts of the transformation where they did a baseline dyno tune on the original front-wheel-drive setup. In that format, this little turbocharged monster made 507-horsepower and 317 lb-ft of torque on a totally stock block.Many of the most historically celebrated entry-level performance cars all share one big limiting factor, front-wheel drive. While those limitations can be mitigated, the truth is that front-wheel-drive isn’t as potent for driving performance as its alternatives. And that’s why this epic turbocharged AWD Acura RSX now exists.No, this isn’t a hardcore, full-time, 50/50 power-splitting all-wheel-drive system but it’s more than enough to help the RSX keep its traction. It’s also one heck of a demonstration of how a ton of stock Honda parts can end up creating a car that was never built by the factory.To make the conversion work, TRC utilized a lot of random Honda parts. The old RSX transmission and subframe have been swapped out for 2002-2004 CR-V AWD units. The driveshaft is a modified version of the one found in 1989-1991 Honda Civic Wagons and in fact, every driveline part from there back is from that same car including the differential and the axles.

The most shocking part might be how good it sounds in the video below. Sure, the engine is lovely, but this thing isn’t rattling around or making a bunch of gross groaning or grinding noises. The passengers both mention how an unsuspecting driver might not even pick up on how custom this car is beneath the surface.Now they’re aiming for more than 800 but before any of that happens they have to ensure that the general AWD setup is functioning. What better way to do that than to rip up and down the road doing single gear pulls to warm up the components. Compare the old FWD video to this one and you’ll notice a distinct lack of tire squeal now that the car can push power to all four corners.

Eventually, he started to get a good idea of what it all was going to look like, though. “I spent like six months figuring out ‘Can I make spindles?'” He realized he could definitely make them from scratch if he had to. “Can I get the transmission to fit in the car?” To him, that seemed much less risky. “A big enough hole in the floor and any [transmission] will fit.” The particular transfer case he wanted wasn’t easy to get, though.Modifying any car that wasn’t originally AWD into one that is can be extremely challenging, but as we found out by speaking to him, Roman is no stranger to this sort of swap. He’s previously converted a Merkur XR4Ti to AWD, which was something of a warm-up for him. He later put a 5.0-liter turbocharged Ford V8 into the car, which propelled it to 10.72 in the quarter-mile at 134.6 mph. The Mustang project he’s embarking on now isn’t quite the same sort of beast, though. He wants it to be a comfortable car he can drive long distances. That being said, twin turbos are in the cards.

Needless to say, when that happens you’ll hear about it from us. Before then, keep an eye on Roman’s channel for occasional updates. He may not have much production value, but when it comes to insight and practical advice about doing something like this, his videos are an incredible resource. It’s not every day someone tries to make an AWD, supercharged Mustang, and if you want to do something similar, well, he’s currently writing the bible.

The transmission he selected is likewise straightforward, a six-speed Tremec TR-6060 found on many performance cars. The transfer case from the Dodge bolted up with a little convincing, and both of these parts have now been installed in the vehicle. “It’s all good to go. Now the spindles are done as of last week, and now I’m back working on the oil pan, the diff mount, and the CV axles… that gets us up to where we are now.”Finding the right differential was a big step, but this swap is a grind to find all of the right parts to get power to the front wheels. The stock front spindles on the S550 Mustang were never intended to support front axles, for instance. He eventually decided to heavily modify a set off of a different Mustang. Roman also needed to source a good transfer case, a new manual transmission, and more. There are so many options for these parts that it was hard for him to narrow down the best combination.His ambitions for the project itself are considerably higher. “If I get it on the wheels [and done] in say June, I don’t want to wait until the following May to have boost,” he told me. Yep, Roman wants to take advantage of all of his newfound traction no matter what that means. “I wanna do turbos,” but that would take a lot of fabrication. A much more straightforward solution would be a supercharger, he said. “I’ve been eyeing trying to buy a used one, like a VMP or a Whipple.” He would prefer a roots-style blower in order to maximize the torque off of the line.

There were several different attributes he was looking for, but in the end, the unit that fit the bill was from a 1986-1995 Toyota Hilux pickup truck. “It’s a low pinion, it’s relatively narrow, and the Toyotas you can get all the various [common] gear ratios. You can get 3.55s, you can get 3.73s, you can get 4.10s,” etc.”I really wanted a variable torque split transfer case,” Roman told me. Then he could flip a switch and instantly do burnouts. The problem is that the best units, out of R32-R34 Nissan GTRs, are now JDM-taxed into orbit. That led him down the rabbit hole of modern AWD systems that do not have a center differential, just a clutch pack to control torque flow to the front/rear axle. The logic to control many of these modern systems is mind-bogglingly complicated, though. In the end, Roman landed on a unit made by Borg Warner, commonly equipped to 2010 and newer Dodge Chargers. It uses a simple electrical signal to control the amount of clutch pack engagement, and several aftermarket controllers are readily available.

When Roman bought the Mustang in the fall of 2019, he didn’t know if it would even be possible to convert the car to AWD. “I spent basically the first two winters just figuring out how to do it,” he told The Drive. “The whole first winter was, ‘Was it even possible?’ Like, ‘Can I even fit a front diff in [it]?'” As it turns out, he could. “I looked at Mercedes, BMW, Toyota, Nissan,” to find the right differential, which is the vital part of the swap. Roman has documented this entire process in a series of videos on YouTube, although the title of his channel, “No Production Value Garage,” should give you a hint about his ambitions on the platform. He wants to have a record of the project and not much else. “I’m not putting a lot of effort into the videos. I don’t have the time,” Roman told me. “Am I trying to be a YouTuber and get like 100,000 subscribers? No.” He wants to get the filming done, get it online, and continue working. All of this is controlled by the car’s computer that continuously monitors individual wheel rotation speed. Depending on the changes, the system adapts to deliver as much traction as possible.But if you’re buying a vehicle for adventure and tackling rough surfaces or heavy-duty work use, then 4WD is the right buy. You can drive on roads in 2WD mode and switch to 4WD when dealing with harsher terrains; 4WD will give you more versatility in these situations.

AWD is a highly versatile system that is used from small family cars to high-performance sports cars. Its simple ability of variable torque delivery makes it superior to every other mechanism. With AWD, you can rest assured that you will never over or understeer.

Locking and winding issues: Four-wheel drives are driven in 2WD in the city to prevent transmission winding. This occurs during higher-speed 4WD cornering as the inner wheel rotates less compared to outer wheels. This difference in wheel speed jams the transmission gear causing a windup effect and significant understeer (which can create a driving hazard).Higher Cost: 4WD, while cheaper than AWD, is still costlier than 2WD. Plus, a 4WD vehicle is heavier, consumes more fuel, and is more expensive to buy (compared to 2WD). The cost of maintenance of 4WD is higher as well.AWD systems often switch to rear-wheel drive to achieve higher fuel economy. For example, when going down the highway or cruising on a straight road, most of the power is transferred to the rear wheels.

Lower fuel economy: The one major drawback of AWD is its reduced fuel economy. The engine needs to produce more power to operate all four wheels. And, an AWD vehicle is heavier than a comparable two-wheel-drive model. On average, an AWD car consumes about 10 percent more fuel.

Higher cost of ownership: AWD is more costly to maintain mainly because of the complex drivetrain. Sensors need periodic maintenance, and repairs can be expensive, too.Improved power delivery: As mentioned earlier, a 4WD system can switch between 4H or 4L gear ratios. This not only improves vehicle handling but also gives better control of power delivery.

Many high-performance cars with all-wheel drive have the inner front wheel rotating slower than other wheels during cornering. This is because the outer wheels have to travel a greater distance than the inner wheel. This enables a car to take sharp corners more quickly.Better traction: An all-wheel-drive system always provides better traction than any other drivetrain. Despite the variable condition of the road, the system constantly adapts and improves overall traction. When it detects slippage, the power is transferred to other wheels to compensate.

An all-wheel-drive system is drivetrain technology designed to send power to all four wheels. However, there’s no guarantee that the power shared between them is consistent or equally divided, which means that an all-wheel drivetrain can deliver power between all four wheels or just two wheels on a single axle.What you get in 4WD is an option between 4 High (4H) and 4Low (4L). In 4H mode, you have a higher gear ratio, meaning the engine will rev higher, and all four wheels will spin faster. This is a mode you use when you need speed over traction, like when climbing a slope. In 4L, the gear ratio is lower, and the wheel spins slower. This is suited for driving on soft and loose surfaces like snow or sand, where traction is needed over speed. Higher Resale Value: All-wheel drive vehicles are higher-performing vehicles that are easier to sell. The ability to handle variable terrain and conditions makes these cars more desirable. Plus, AWD gives these vehicles a high resale value than comparable ones with two-wheel drive (2WD). Improved performance: An all-wheel-drive car has better acceleration than RWD or 4WD. Since all four wheels accelerate simultaneously, there is no wheel spin when you pull hard. The vehicle doesn’t overspin when cornering as the wheels move at different speeds to maintain traction. Hence, improving the overall handling.Whereas all-wheel-drive distributes torque variably among the wheels, 4WD locks the differentials, basically locking the front driveshaft in sync with the rear. This ensures that all wheels—front and rear—rotate at the same speed when you press the gas.

When higher power is needed, the 4H provides a higher power range with longer gear ratios. Allowing you to pull in one gear for a longer time. When less power and higher traction are needed, 4L restricts the powerband with a lower shift ratio. In this case, the engine hits the limiter faster, limiting the wheels from spinning faster.Buying a used SUV in Randallstown? Looking for a used crossover in Columbia? Then the best used AWD and 4WD cars for sale are close by at Trust Auto. We’re also convenient for car buyers from Virginia and Washington, DC. Searching for a used car in Pennsylvania? Looking for a used truck in New York? Discover how our remote shopping can deliver the perfect AWD or 4WD direct to your door. This virtual experience is ideal if you live in Towson, Eldersburg, Damascus, or anywhere else.

A choice between 2WD and 4WD: Unlike AWD that automatically switches between modes. A 4WD system always gives you an option between 2WD and 4WD. Meaning in normal conditions, you can always drive in 2WD to save fuel.

So, for example, if you own a 4WD, your vehicle will mainly stay in RWD mode for everyday driving. Then, as you need more traction and grip, you would manually put the drivetrain into 4WD mode either by changing gear, pressing a button, or rotating a knob.

But when the surface gets loose and more grip and traction is needed, the AWD system starts to transfer power to all four wheels. It uses variable torque distribution where the power transmitted can be equal or varying depending on where and how you drive.

Four-wheel drive is also a drivetrain with the ability to power all four wheels. But unlike AWD, 4WD can’t constantly switch between 4WD and rear-wheel drive (RWD). Instead, it is by default set in RWD mode and then manually changed to 4WD.

AWD and 4WD drive are both designed to offer better traction than conventional 2WD. With AWD, every time your vehicle encounters a slippery or loose surface causing a loss of traction, it adjusts the power delivery to provide a better grip. However, while the drivetrain enables the vehicle to gain more traction, much of this ability dramatically depends on the type of tires you use.

Think of all-wheel drive (AWD) and four-wheel drive (4WD) as two different ways of doing the same thing: improving a vehicle’s road handling ability. No doubt, each system increases a car’s versatility and grip. But apart from that, there are a host of differences between the way AWD and 4WD work.

Speedhunters is an international collective of photographers, writers and drivers with a shared passion for uncovering the world’s most exciting car culture stories.While all this helped absolutely zero with making the RSX feel less like a Honda, it also meant that they weren’t hopelessly expensive to repair. So while this cheapness may have detracted from the car when it was new, it gave the car second life on the used market. The Honda K inline four-cylinder engine is also easy to tune and capable of making good power, all while the glorious V-Tec system accepts every stomp of your right foot with glee. So a pretty solid package all around then, and we haven’t even mentioned the really cool model yet.

The RSX may not have lit the world on fire when it was brand new, but in a world of used Toyota Corollas, Nissan Sentras, and Honda Civics, the RSX and the RSX Type S are a lot more appealing by comparison.The RSX Type S is everything we like about the base model with more power and sleeker styling. The K20 engine is tuned to make 200 horsepower and only ever came with a six-speed manual gearbox. Bigger breaks and sports-tuned suspension were added to make the Type S more agile in corners. Add everything together, and the Type-S was a completely different animal than the standard RSX. For even more sporting credentials, an A-Spec dealer option was also available. This added a JDM spec body kit taken directly from the Japanese DC5 Honda Integra, including the Integra Type R’s iconic rear wing.To understand the RSX’s appeal, we need to understand Acura as a brand. It’s possible that people in parts of the world where they aren’t sold might be unfamiliar with Acura’s design language. Acura is a North American brand designed for North American buyers. Underneath, they’re largely the same as their Honda counterparts from around the world, except for maybe a different engine or suspension components. The idea with Acuras is that once you step inside one, you forget you’re sitting inside a Honda because everything you see, feel, and touch should be upscale and luxurious.

The Acura RSX is actually a rebadged JDM spec Honda Integra DC5, so while it’s technically not just a rebadged Civic, it still looks familiarly like a Honda. The RSX came from a time before Acuras truly differentiated itself from their lower range Honda cousins. Things like HVAC and radio controls are taken directly from existing Honda models, for example. Leather seats were also optional on the RSX. That’s right, an Acura came standard with cloth seats as early as 15 years ago. The rear hatch gives the RSX more space in the rear than most cars of its type, and it can do 30 miles per gallon on the highway, all things that make it favorable as the first car of choice for teenagers who want to drive something more unique and special than a Civic.The Acura RSX wasn’t a sports car per se, but it is the answer to every 16-year-olds car crisis. It’s sporty enough for a teenager to enjoy while also being a safe and reliable car to daily drive. In a world where most sporty cars break down just by looking at them funny, RSX’s are still on the road even 15 years after production ceased. The RSX is radically different than Acuras made today. It’s less refined and a little rough around the edges. That doesn’t stop it from being one of the best bang for your dollar performance bargains of recent memory.