2WD buggy from 2022 vs. 4WD buggy from 1992...who would win?

[TokyoProf]

If you put a modern 2wd buggy from 2022 against a 30-year-old 4wd buggy from 1992 on a medium to high bite clay track who would win this shootout? This is assuming using the same tires and electronics.

Would 30 years of advancements in 2wd off-road technology (2022) beat a 4WD vintage racer buggy from 1992?

[BattleTrak]

As much as I would like to think the vintage buggy would be competitive, moderns have a lot of advantages. Someone needs to do some shootouts! For the 4wd, my vote is on a Lazer ZX-R

[juicedcoupe]

Given a driver that can use the modern car to its potential, the modern car should easily outpace it.

In the hands of someone like me, they'd both be equally slow (and probably crashed and broken).

[morrisey0]

I would equate it to almost any motorracing in the 1:1 world.

[JosephS]

If you put a modern 2wd buggy from 2022 against a 30-year-old 4wd buggy from 1992 on a medium to high bite clay track who would win this shootout? This is assuming using the same tires and electronics.

Would 30 years of advancements in 2wd off-road technology (2022) beat a 4WD vintage racer buggy from 1992?

The modern electronics and tires give such an advantage it seems hard to think that the vintage car would last for a modern race. If you modernized the vintage racers battery,electronics , tires, and allowed modification, mounting points etc,of the car the 4wd car would be competitive.

[TRX-1-3]

If an RC10T can beat 2016 model year stadium trucks, I feel as though a 1992 4wd would be very competitive against a modern 2wd buggy. With a wizard on the sticks and/or wheel/trigger. I am not that wizard however.


https://www.reedyrace.com/ae/spotlight/pages/RC10T_Van/index.html

[Dadio]

Chuck Norris

[jwscab]

As a data point, when the world's rerelease came out, some of the factory drivers were building them and running them and lap times were on par with new cars. It's very much batteries, brushless and tires than can either show major weakness in a design, or show how most modern stuff has been incremental, depending on what chassis you are running.

[TokyoProf]

As a data point, when the world's rerelease came out, some of the factory drivers were building them and running them and lap times were on par with new cars. It's very much batteries, brushless and tires than can either show major weakness in a design, or show how most modern stuff has been incremental, depending on what chassis you are running.

I agree with you. In the hands of the same driver, I actually thought a 1992 4WD buggy would still beat an RC10B6.3D on an off-road track (or be nearly equal at best). One could say that this is an impressive feat for a 2wD buggy. Having said that I agree that most modern stuff in 2WD has been incremental--better materials, the most obvious. But, I feel like in 30 years we haven't progressed a whole lot from an engineering standpoint in 2WD. Maybe because a combination of the industry shrinking or engineering talent has gone down. Or, maybe we maxed out the engineering possibilities for a 2WD buggy?

4WD designs have a lot of space to evolve and innovate given their complexity.

[juicedcoupe]

I have to wonder how a complete vintage buggy would hold up to modern power and grip.

If not moderated, modern power has been the downfall of several vintage diffs and slippers. They just weren't designed for it.

If you have to reduce the power in order for the vintage car to survive, you are giving up something else to an already advanced design. And it wouldn't be fair to limit the modern car's power just because of the vintage car's limitations.

[Dadio]

Another interesting comparison might be to put both cars on a dirt track rather than carpet , I think this would really be a leveller , probably tip it to the vintage 4wd's advantage .
A ton of evolution happened between 82 and 92 , after that it looks more like fine tuning for the most part.

[TokyoProf]

Interesting responses! Sorry, I forgot to add a "D" to my previous reply. Carpet would be a completely different animal. Off-road was what I had in mind maybe middle to high traction. 82-92 was a golden era for sure, especially in Japan with the number of RC magazines and vehicles that were available then. A shootout with the same driver, and transponder, and the fastest lap with each vehicle (1992 and 2022) would be an ideal test.

[Sprocket]

Would be more entertaining to see a modern car take on the vintage on a loose surface track like in the old days. Same electronics and new tires.

[juicedcoupe]

Would be more entertaining to see a modern car take on the vintage on a loose surface track like in the old days. Same electronics and new tires.

While I don't disagree, that would mean multiple strikes against the advantages of the modern car and other advantages to the vintage car.

In the end, they were made to run in different environments. Any shift either way will give advantages to one or the other.

Just trying to put down modern power on a vintage track would probably be an exercise in frustration, especially for a 2WD car.

[Sprocket]

Would be more entertaining to see a modern car take on the vintage on a loose surface track like in the old days. Same electronics and new tires.

While I don't disagree, that would mean multiple strikes against the advantages of the modern car and other advantages to the vintage car.

In the end, they were made to run in different environments. Any shift either way will give advantages to one or the other.

Just trying to put down modern power on a vintage track would probably be an exercise in frustration, especially for a 2WD car.

Exactly, else you are just verifying that vintage cars are just old tech.