Originally Posted by DmnBoy
I would like to know what the difference is in qtr mile time if the car was relying on only a mechanical limited slip rear vs. the electronic brake activated traction control-with the ESP turned 'off' on my car, both tires will start to spin out of the hole, but will switch from side to side as the computer tries to keep clamping on one brake/side, then the other...marks end up looking like ===---___----__---___ (and that is only if the computer doesn't over-ride the throttle and shut down power). My other car is a '72 Demon 340 with a 4 speed, and it is a lot more predictable to launch, and more consistent on a bad day than my SRT is on it's best-I guess the pure mechanical nature of it I find more predictable than the electronic 'Nannies' that oversee any exuberant driving that occurs in the Crossfire!
In my 3 years of drag racing experience in a car of nearly identical size, weight, weight distribution, wheel base, and H.P. as the Crossfire, I can say a posi unit with no traction control would easily walk away from a car with ESP on a drag strip. Anytime a system regulates power, or applies a brake to correct wheel spin, it uses up precious seconds of acceleration.
In the real world, day in day out driving, on wet streets, or snow, the ESP would really shine most of the time.
As Cincy Slim pointed out, a posi unit will make your car "fish tail" since the differential is hunting for the wheel with the most traction, and that situation can come back and bite you under the right circumstances.
But I can guarantee, if our cars had posi, and we could completely disable the traction control, the Crossfire would be known as the "donut king" of most any parking lot competition.