Buried within the upgrades menu are several fundamental modifications you can do to a car: engine swaps, drivetrain swaps, and aspiration change. I bought a CRX SiR for a specific championship, and much to my surprise, drivetrain swaps were available. At the cost of a couple hundred extra pounds, I could turn my FWD CRX into a RWD car.
The transformation is pretty radical. You start with a car that already has really good handling and a 62/38 weight distribution, and you wind up with excellent handling and a 51/49 weight distribution. As an added bonus, you get a close ratio six-speed transmission, which probably means that the donor driveline was from a S2000. What goes into the shop is one of the best of the hot hatches. What comes out can only be described as ballistic.
But curiously, even with radical weight reduction down to ~2150 lbs, suspension enhancements, and a power boost to 171HP, Forza still considers it an E class car. To get some perspective, let's pick on the Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X, a car most people associate with "quick and nimble," and a car Forza considers to be considerably better — class C.
| Honda CRX SiR modified | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X GSR | |
|---|---|---|
| Power | 171 HP | 295 HP |
| Weight | 2150 lbs | 3585 lbs |
| Weight dist | 52/48 | 56/44 |
| Weight/power ratio | 12.6 lb/hp | 12.2 lb/hp |
| Wheelbase | 90.6 in | 104.3 in |
Certainly, there are still some unknowns in there, like tire size and aerodynamics, but I'd say that on paper, it looks pretty close. Strangely, the Evo is the heavyweight, having the advantage on power, but the CRX definitely looks like it will handle better with its shorter wheelbase, lighter weight, and better weight distribution. Why did the CRX's weight distribution change to 52/48? Weight loss in the rear from a sport exhaust system. I will admit, I did cheat a little. An Evo X is not as fast as an Evo IX. :)
So how ridiculous is this? Well, swapping in a whole S2000 driveline into a civic is not unheard of (but IMO kind of pointless). And at least one person has taken the idea way too far and created a RWD civic with a Corvette engine in it (which just further supports the theory that you can, and people will, drop a Chevy small-block into anything). So maybe, with a lot of money, and a lot of work, this sort of thing could be a reality.
One can dream, anyway. :)