What do the Ford Focus RS, 2017 Buick LaCrosse and Cadillac XT5 have in common? Well, not a whole hell of a lot. One thing they all will share is all-wheel-drive technology supplied by GKN Driveline. If that name sounds familiar it's because the British company supplied the AWD system for the Ford Focus RS. Its system is pretty advanced and helps in the performance department, which is why it's a bit odd to see it coming to a Buick sedan and Cadillac crossover.

As far as Buick is concerned, the performance aspect of the GKN system is a welcome selling point. "This has a real performance element to it, with big benefits on acceleration and cornering. We think this will have more play in warm-weather states where consumers have traditionally eschewed the AWD option." Those comments came courtesy of Doug Osterhoff, marketing manager for the LaCrosse, and were relayed to Automotive News (AN). The GKN system is unique in that it uses two clutches placed in the middle of the rear driveline module. It replaces the need for a differential as the clutch packs can send up to 100 percent of the available torque to the rear or the front wheels.

With the XT5 there will be an option to disconnect the AWD system completely in order to boost fuel economy. This is done manually in "Tour" mode and can be done automatically in other modes when driving 40 mph or more. You probably won't want to buy a LaCrosse just because of this all-wheel-drive system but it's still a nice selling point. The luxury sedan and crossover markets are damn crowded, and for brands like Cadillac and Buick that are playing catch up any unique feature helps. Whether or not grandpa chooses to hoon his new LaCrosse is on him.