[LoSboccacc]

then again that's only relevant if you insist in using an absurdly sub optimal traction configuration.

longitudinal weight distribution is completely irrelevant for 4wd cars, where none of the listed advantages matter and all the disadvantages with handling do

yes, 4wd system absorb some additional power but that's largely irrelevant because: - they can be active and only engage when needed - they absorb some fixed amount of power that become marginal for a very high powered engine - you're at wheel traction limit most of the time anyway at low speed, so absorbing power doesn't really matter - at high speed power absorbed by a 4wd system is largely dwarfed by drag

[andor]

longitudinal weight distribution is completely irrelevant for 4wd cars, where none of the listed advantages matter and all the disadvantages with handling do

Four-wheel-drive doesn't help when braking. Less weight on the front wheels (and thus more braking power on the rear) should make cars less likely to understeer.

[LoSboccacc]

either more weight increase grip or it doesn't, you are arguing both: the weight that you moved to the rear and allows to shift balance of brakes back comes from the front tires, reducing their grip by the same amount it increases rear tire grip

it does however increase the leverage of front tires on the car center of mass - but then that weight at the end makes getting the car straight after a corner an issue because for the same reason you get higher rotational momentum