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blacksambo
04/16/2013, 12:41 PM
Is this the first vehicle to finally emulate the VX's drive system?

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/14/automobiles/autoreviews/a-land-rover-destined-for-asphalt-jungles.html?hpw

The VX has held the position since its inception of being the first and only computer controlled four wheel drive vehicle to also have a differential locking four low. The 2014 Rover Sport seems to now offer this same style of drive system? Comments please.
BigSwede
04/16/2013, 01:11 PM
The Isuzu TOD system does not lock the differentials in any way; it has nothing to do with the differentials. In 4L the TOD transfer case "locks" the front/rear power distribution at 50/50, which is the same power distribution as most part time transfer cases. It is 4H operation where the TOD system is somewhat unique.
wintermute
04/16/2013, 02:51 PM
The first computer-controlled AWD since the VX? Hardly.

BorgWarner has been making similar systems to the VX for just about every major auto manufacturer for a long time.

ControlTrac (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Control_Trac)

4x4 systems of Today and Tomorrow (http://www.fourwheeler.com/techarticles/26578_4x4_systems_technical/)


Is this the first vehicle to finally emulate the VX's drive system?

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/14/automobiles/autoreviews/a-land-rover-destined-for-asphalt-jungles.html?hpw

The VX has held the position since its inception of being the first and only computer controlled four wheel drive vehicle to also have a differential locking four low. The 2014 Rover Sport seems to now offer this same style of drive system? Comments please.
Y33TREKker
04/16/2013, 04:05 PM
Porsche also getting into the action.

http://www.europeancarweb.com/firstlook/epcp_1302_2013_porsche_991_carrera_4/

2013 Porsche 911 Carrera 4S Torque Split Display

http://image.europeancarweb.com/f/firstlook/epcp_1302_2013_porsche_991_carrera_4/41066570+w320/epcp-1302-04-o+2013-porsche-991-carrera-4S+torque-split-display.jpg
blacksambo
04/16/2013, 09:15 PM
You all have good comments but..."First and only" still resides on the official VX pedigree, exclusively. I'm asking did the 2014 Rover Sport finally match the VX? (The VX is full time computer controlled High 4WD, and the diiferential locking is supported by the transfer case sending 25% power to each wheel in 4 low (as long as nothing is slipping), along with the TOD torque requirement matching capability, still active.) Let's sort this one out as a group, and get to the bottom of it. Interesting stuff. Yah!
vt_maverick
04/17/2013, 04:48 AM
From the Wikipedia article:


ControlTrac four-wheel drive is the brand name of a selectable automatic four-wheel drive system offered by Ford Motor Company. The four-wheel drive system was designed and developed at BorgWarner under its TorqTransfer Systems division in the mid 1980s.[1][2][3] BorgWarner calls the system Torque-On-Demand (TOD).

Vehicles available with automatic ControlTrac four-wheel drive
Vehicle Model Year Transfer case
Ford Explorer MY1995-2010 two-speed

So it seems the Explorer had this system (or at least a direct predecessor) two years before the VX went into production in Japan.
blacksambo
04/17/2013, 06:13 AM
From the Wikipedia article:


So it seems the Explorer had this system (or at least a direct predecessor) two years before the VX went into production in Japan.

Yes, but I'm not clear if also offered a 4L? Just asking.
vt_maverick
04/17/2013, 07:10 AM
It did - we had one growing up that my Dad just sold a year or two ago. I actually think it was push button even.
Scott Larson
04/17/2013, 08:56 AM
My 1998 Explorer XLT has a rotary switch on the dash that controls the 4WD function. All three settings are labeled under a 4X4 banner and are "AUTO", "HIGH" and "LOW". Normal highway driving is done in "AUTO". In "LOW" it crawls along like the VX in "4L". Although a very capable truck it doesn't compare to the traction abilities of the VX, not even close...
samneil2000
04/17/2013, 09:04 AM
My 1998 Explorer XLT has a rotary switch on the dash that controls the 4WD function. All three settings are labeled under a 4X4 banner and are "AUTO", "HIGH" and "LOW". Normal highway driving is done in "AUTO". In "LOW" it crawls along like the VX in "4L". Although a very capable truck it doesn't compare to the traction abilities of the VX, not even close.

How is that possible? We have a limited slip rear and an open front...
I don't disagree but I don't understand what makes it so special. Maybe it's the short wheelbase or something, and the high ground clearance.
blacksambo
04/17/2013, 09:45 AM
How is that possible? We have a limited slip rear and an open front...
I don't disagree but I don't understand what makes it so special. Maybe it's the short wheelbase or something, and the high ground clearance.

That's why opened up this dialog to try to sort out the different systems and why Isuzu claimed for the VX: "The first (and still the only) computer-controlled full-time four wheel drive, linked to a differential locking four low"?
Scott Larson
04/17/2013, 10:34 AM
The VX's system senses wheel-slip and shifts torque to the wheels with traction. That's the computer controlled part of the equation that the Explorer doesn't have. If the Explorer had lockers front and rear it might be a different story but alas, such is not the case.
vt_maverick
04/17/2013, 11:56 AM
The VX's system senses wheel-slip and shifts torque to the wheels with traction. That's the computer controlled part of the equation that the Explorer doesn't have. If the Explorer had lockers front and rear it might be a different story but alas, such is not the case.

That's not the case based on the article - the entire development process is described as targeting wheel-slip sensing and torque vectoring from the mid-80s forward. If you mean side-to-side vectoring the Explorer probably didn't have that, but then again I've never seen my TOD lights show different power levels between the left and right sides.

Also the VX doesn't have front and rear lockers either.
blacksambo
04/17/2013, 04:16 PM
"Full-Time"is definitely an American VX characteristic. Even the JDM nor the Trooper had full-time.
wintermute
04/17/2013, 06:56 PM
BorgWarner Produces Torque-on-Demand Transfer Case for Ford (http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases-test/borgwarner-produces-torque-on-demand-transfer-case-for-ford-australias-new-territory-suv-147299055.html)
blacksambo
04/18/2013, 10:53 AM
BorgWarner Produces Torque-on-Demand Transfer Case for Ford (http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases-test/borgwarner-produces-torque-on-demand-transfer-case-for-ford-australias-new-territory-suv-147299055.html)

Talk about Dej Vous! You found a good one. It's the VX Redux!

We're all driving the latest technology, we just didn't know it.

This says a lot about Isuzu's forsight and courage, and also speaks volumes about the longevity and duarbility of our TOD units, fifteen years on.

Be proud fellow VXer's, you've been driving the future for fifteen years!