FF Handling in High Speed Wet

We have lot of miles on ours in high(er) speed/wet, I'm sure Eric and Rick Lederman will comment.

1) car is solid as a rock at higher speeds in the wet. While the front diff is disabled at higher speeds, the ESC, TCS, et al work ridiculously well
2) while wide, the tires are good; at some point, any car with any tire can hydroplane.
3) Wet setting keeps the suspension soft, has a more moderate engine map and provides the most aggressive settings (i.e. the shortest leash) for the ECS and TCS and ABS
4) e-Diff settings are also affected by mannettino setting and yes, it manages wheel slip. Remember the software on these cars controls several variables -throttle, wheel-specific brake application, etc at one time depending on what the car senses and (thinks) you are doing (eg. steering angle)

Quite candidly, I feel more secure with my wife driving the FF with the kids as it does really, really well in variable conditions. Obviously any car and any driver can get themselves into trouble in poor conditions, the laws of physics apply.

What is amazing and eye-opening and few people have likely done is to put the FF on a wet skid pad and a wet and/or dry autocross course. It will build your confidence quickly.

If "wet weather stability" is a concern, the FF is probably among the better cars out there. In dry conditions, the car is a missile on highways, just a pleasure to do long trips in.

Just our $0.02.

 

The simple fact is that cruising above 4th gear all wheel drive would be of little assistance in rain. You will see the benefits in the lower gears with acceleration but aside from that, at cruising speeds the car would only come around if you were really finding a way to overdrive the conditions in 5th gear.

 

I can't add much to what Entropy said. The FF deals with wet marvelously; far better than any other car I've driven, especially with the sotto zeros on, but even with the summer tires. The suspension geometry, e-diff, and other active stability controls that are at work in the FF make for the most secure wet drive one could ever wish for. Just a couple weeks ago we were crossing the Cascades on I-90 in a torrential downpour. Signs alerted us to flooded road ahead, so I was ready for it when it came, but was still amazed at how even when it seemed like all four tires hydroplaned, the car just kept going the direction it was pointed with no pull on the steering wheel and no tendency to move off course. The car just dealt with it, and went where I wanted it to go.

 

I would add that with all performance cars one should always take it easy in poor weather. Just because there is a "wet" setting doesn't mean you can still operate the vehicle at its full potential. Always take caution when not in ideal, dry conditions. In addition, remember that the car disengages 4WD when entering 5th and 6th gear - I think that remains the case in the "wet" setting (others please correct me if I'm wrong).

 

In my experience, tires are significantly more influential than the vehicle when it comes to wet traction.

 

+1. (And yes, 4WD only operates through 4th gear). And the FF's superb wet weather dynamics inspires so much confidence that the danger becomes overconfidence ....

 

IT was raining hard today in Tampa and my wife was concerned about driving her new FF in the rain. She asked me to take it out for a ride to check how safe it would be

I drove down the street to my favorite testing grounds and gave it all I could through the range of manettino settings and was just shocked at how well it handled and kept the car straight in Ice/Wet and Comfort. It was absolutely fabulous fun in Sport and ESC Off in an almost empty parking lot.

I agree that I feel more comfortable with my wife driving the FF in the rain than any other car we own.. hands down.