Acura TLX – Precision All-Wheel Steer (P-AWS)
Acura calls its system Precision All-Wheel Steer, or P-AWS. The system can adjust the toe angle of each rear wheel individually to reduce the car’s turning radius or improve stability. On the TLX, P-AWS is standard on front-wheel-drive models, with either the 206-horsepower, 2.4-liter inline-four or 290-hp, 3.5-liter V6 engines, but not available with all-wheel drive.
Acura RLX – Precision All-Wheel Steer (P-AWS)
P-AWS is also employed on the Acura RLX sedan, where it’s standard, again, with front-wheel drive but not offered with the car’s optional all-wheel drive. Acura says that P-AWS can, “help maneuver tight areas, aid in smooth lane changes and assist in braking stability.” (The RLX Sport Hybrid, which does not feature P-AWS, is pictured.)
Audi A6 – Dynamic All-Wheel Steering
Audi says the turning radius of the 2019 A6 is 3.6 feet shorter than the old A6, even though the new one is a little bit longer. How is that possible? Thank, in part, the four-wheel steering system, which helps the newest A6 sedan pirouette in and out of parking spots more easily. The car goes on sale in Europe this summer; expect it in the U.S. by early 2019.
Audi A7 – Dynamic All-Wheel Steering
Like the A6 with which it shares many components, the 2019 Audi A7 also features four-wheel steering. Just as in the A6, the system is credited with reducing the car’s effective turning circle by 3.6 feet – which could be a boon if you’re in, say, a European city with tight streets and skinny parking spots.
Audi A8 – Dynamic All-Wheel Steering
Audi also implemented four-wheel steering on its longest sedan, the new A8. At low speeds, the rear wheels turn as much as five degrees in the opposite direction to the front wheels, which as with the A6 and A7, allows the car to turn in a much smaller amount of space.
Audi Q7 – 4-Wheel Steering
The Q7 crossover is the final Audi product to offer four-wheel steering. It’s available as an option on the fully loaded Prestige trim level, as part of the $4,000 Adaptive Chassis group that also includes air suspension.
BMW 5 Series – Integral Active Steering
The newest BMW 5 Series saved as much as 137 pounds compared to its predecessor, yet engineers still managed to fit many more features. One of those? An updated version of what BMW brands “Integral Active Steering,” which the company says delivers, “excellent directional stability on highways, while around town the steering response is pleasingly light and agile.”
BMW 7 Series – Integral Active Steering
The BMW 7 Series is a technologically clever car, with carbon fiber construction and all manner of other tricks. So it’s not too surprising that it earns a spot on this list thanks to its optional Integral Active Steering feature. Unlike the prior-generation 7 Series, on the newest model this feature can also equipped on cars with xDrive all-wheel drive.
Cadillac CT6 – Active Rear Steer
The Cadillac CT6 luxury sedan is a big car, measuring 204.0 inches long on a 122.4-inch wheelbase long. So it’s helpful that the CT6 offers four-wheel steering as part of the Active Chassis package. The package combines Active Rear Steer with Magnetic Ride Control suspension with three driving modes, too; Cadillac says it offers an “engaging driving experience” by ensuring that, “every wheel steers, turns, and is dampened.” As to how much it helps with maneuverability, Cadillac says the CT6’s turning circle is reduced by three feet when it’s equipped with the Active Chassis option.
Ferrari 812 Superfast – Virtual Short Wheelbase System 2.0
The 812 Superfast is the first Ferrari road car ever with electric power steering, and it’s supplemented by a four-wheel steering system called Virtual Short Wheelbase System 2.0. The system was previously used on the wild, limited-edition F12tdf. Not that the 812 isn’t a wild machine: Ferrari says the car will hit 62 miles per hour in just 2.9 seconds. That’s super fast, you might say.
Ferrari GTC4Lusso – 4RM-S
Both the 12-cylinder GTC4Lusso – which replaced the Ferrari FF – and the V8-powered GTC4Lusso T feature four-wheel steering. On the former car, the system is called 4RM-S, which stands for “four-wheel drive, four-wheel steering.” The GTC4Lusso T is rear-wheel drive but still has the feature, called slightly more simply 4WS.
Lamborghini Aventador S – Rear-Wheel Steering
The Aventador S coupe and Roadster are the first Lamborghini production cars to ever use four-wheel steering. Lamborghini says the feature is integrated with the all-wheel-drive, stability control, and adaptive damping systems. The rear wheels can react to the driver’s inputs in just five milliseconds, turning to aid handling.
Lamborghini Urus – Rear-Wheel Steering
If you want to build an SUV worthy of the Lamborghini badge, well, you break out all the best technologies available to make it go, steer, and stop. For the Urus, that means that four-wheel steering is fitted to supplement the active torque-vectoring system. Lamborghini says the Urus can turn its wheels up to three degrees in either direction, depending on speed and driving mode. The system is derived from the one used in the aforementioned Aventador S.
Lexus GS – Dynamic Rear-Wheel Steering
The Lexus GS is no slouch in the corners, but it’s even more nimble when you elect the GS 350 F Sport’s Lexus Dynamic Handling package. It adds four-wheel steering, as well as variable gear-ratio front steering, to “independently manage front and rear wheel steering angles to help enhance turn-in response, rear grip, vehicle control, and agility,” Lexus promises.
Lexus LC 500 – Dynamic Rear-Wheel Steering
The gorgeous, thrilling Lexus LC 500 features four-wheel steering as an option with the Performance package. That pack also bundles 21-inch wheels, a carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) roof, a limited-slip differential, and an active rear spoiler – all of which work with the Active Rear Steering system to make the LC 500 an even more willing dance partner. The Performance pack is not offered for the LC 500h hybrid, meaning that model does not feature Active Rear Steering.
Lexus LS 500 – Dynamic Rear-Wheel Steering
On the LS 500, there’s also a Performance package that, while not featuring a carbon-fiber roof, also adds four-wheel steering to the big luxury sedan. It’s available only on F Sport variants; Lexus officials told me that the F-Sport would make up only about 20 percent of all LS sales.
Lexus RC – Dynamic Rear-Wheel Steering
Finally, the Lexus RC coupe also packs Dynamic Rear-wheel Steering, though like the GS, only on the rear-wheel-drive F Sport model, when equipped with the 3.5-liter V6 engine. The automaker says it can, “turn the RC 350 F Sport RWD into a road warrior with a refined attitude.” Interestingly, four-wheel steering is not offered on the racy RC F, which instead packs a torque-vectoring differential.
Mercedes-AMG GT R and GT C – Active Rear-Wheel Steering
Though it was introduced first with the wild AMG GT R, four-wheel steering has now spread to the AMG GT C coupe and Roadster. It also will be fitted to V8-powered versions of the AMG GT 4-Door Coupe when that model reaches customers. Below 62 miles per hour, the rear wheels turn in the opposite direction to the fronts to improve agility.
Porsche 911 – Rear Axle Steering
You might suggest that a Porsche 911 can easily be steered via generous throttle application, and you’d be right. Yet the 911 range is also now offered with an option called Rear Axle Steering – and in fact, the feature is standard on some higher-performing models, like the GT3 RS.
Porsche Cayenne – Rear Axle Steering
The 2019 Porsche Cayenne offers four-wheel steering as an option, helping shrink the SUV’s turning radius at low speeds while offering the ability to improve its cornering performance and handling at higher speeds.
Porsche Panamera and Sport Turismo – Rear Axle Steering
Porsche’s longest car, the Panamera, can be equipped with four-wheel steering. Just like on the Cayenne and 911, Porsche says that the feature provides, “increased agility, a reduced turning circle at low speeds, and improved driving stability at high speeds.” It’s also offered on the Panamera Sport Turismo.
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