I've been looking at Audis recently and would like to hear comments on their Quattro 4WD system. Taking a car with the same engine (eg the A6 2.4) there seems little benefit in terms of performance (bhp, top speed, 0-60) and a drop of about 5mpg on the Quattro version.
Therefore unless you live up a muddy track or live in a snowy country just what exactly is the point/benefit of 4WD?
Comments much appreciated
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Well, it's very handy if you live up a muddy track or regularly drive in snow. Or rain. Or icy conditions. Or encounter gravel on a corner. Or any of the other many road conditions that may call for a little extra grip and stability.
Apart from that, not a lot really.
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Yes - but does it really improve the driving dynamics of saloon cars is what I'm really asking I suppose
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Hi
A4 quattro, does what it says on the tin.
Goes where you point it and feels glued to road. I feel, threfore, more confidant of resolving risky situations without unexpectely falling off the road. Really comes into its own in adverse road conditions.
Regards
Vercin
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bought an A3 Quattro recently and love its sure footedness - t'iz, indeed, like being on rails - especially after 2 years with a rear wheel drive Lexus
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El Hacko, you are probably noticing more the transition from RWD to FWD. The smaller (tranverse engine) Audi's use an electronically controlled Haldex differential to shift the power to the four wheels. In 90% of driving conditions the car acts like a front wheel drive and only starts delivering power to the rear wheels when the front grip is compromised.
Only the larger Audi's have a mechanical diff to distribute power between front and rears.
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and very effective it is, too - wonder if Lexus, MB and BMW will ever switch to fwd?
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Hi Marc,
I can't directly comment on Audi Quattros, but i do own a Subaru Impreza, so my experience may be relevant.
Subarus have permanent 4WD with a roughly 50/50 torque split. This gives the car superb balance and stability through corners and provides reassuring, predictable, forgiving handling behaviour at the limit.
4WD also greatly improves grip & traction, particularly when trying to use 215 bhp in wet or slippy conditions. The torque is divided more evenly between the wheels, thereby almost eliminating wheelspin unless you are deliberately trying to provoke the car in the wet.
The A6 2.4 sounds to me like more of a motorway cruiser than a performance car. I would be the first to reccommend 4wd for a genuinely sporty car, but i am not convinced of the benefits in a car uch as this particular A6.
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Marc,
I recently had the choice of an A4 3.0L with or without quattro.
Unless you intend to drive close to the limit, or around areas where traction is a problem, I really wouldn't bother.
The FWD really sticks to the road anyway. I'm glad I didn't bother, the car's heavy enough as it is, so I would be looking at less performance and MPG for the odd occasion where cornering needs to be sure footed.
The A6, with all respect, is not really for chucking around like that anyway.
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Thanks for everyones input - think I'll try a test drive over the weekend
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If I had the choice of a small (Fiesta size) 4wd car I would buy it. I drove fwd and rwd cars then an Audi A4 quattro and a Subaru Impreza turbo.
If you drive normally in normal road conditions , 4wd is not much better than fwd (ignore rwd - it is useless in bad conditions).
But in rain and more so in snow, 4wd is unbeatable. Tracion is sooooo much better. (rwd is a waste of time in snow).
But we have so little snow the extra costs versus benefits are debatable.
The new 4wd small Fiat should be interesting tho..
madf
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