this is getting silly. everyone on their respective sides of the fence is arguing the points they know are correct, but there is very little intersection between these arguments.
Googie: yes, simple physics will tell you that more weight means less braking power, everything else equal. I haven't seen anyone refute this specific claim, but you continue to argue it
everyone else: yes the D will corner* better - the proof is in the pudding. a lot more fluff has been thrown around that is mostly irrelevant.
Googie: you are arguing a hypothetical scenario against people who drive the thing every day. this is theoretical physics vs applied. Your argument has boiled down to "the D cannot corner better for the first half of a corner, assuming no throttle is used". As i said above, i don't think anyone is really denying this. However, real world driving would suggest that the combination of throttle actually being used in the first half of this corner, and your admission that the second half of the corner can (is) be better in a D, means that the overall corner(*) is OFTEN better in the D.
Therefore, by your own argument, and some real world injection, the cornering on a D is better than the non D.
ps i applaud you attempting to temper the (what can be seen as) blind assertion of 4WD being better in every way, because being technically correct is the best form of correct :wink: but there are other factors involved, i guess.