WRX awd versus Audi quattro awd

**therussiann** · 01-04-2008 06:44 AM

this is a race betwen a stock 2008 wrx and a hooked up audi tt awd

http://www.3gwrx.com/forum/index.php?topic=166.0

**goBoating** · 01-04-2008 06:45 AM

So in Layman's words....?

Does anybody else no the feeling that I am describing when you go around a turn in the snow with your subie. The steering gets lose and it seems as if the car is sliding a bit....its an odd feeling, its happened on both of my wrx's with the same snow tires (wintersportm3s)

that makes me question the awd of the subie sometimes and wonder if this is the way an audi drives in snow....

Originally Posted by Trainrex

In Layman's terms, you're going to fast, and you're sliding.

Yep. Trainex is dead on. In very simple terms, it feels like you are sliding because you are sliding.

Snow tires help, but, you can't expect the same kind of connection to the road when you're on a layer of ice flakes that you get when you're not on a layer of ice flakes (snow).

The easy fix: slow down.

**GateWRXING** · 01-04-2008 07:04 AM

With all due respect...I'm not that stupid....If it was a matter of speed I wouldn't have posted a question about it. I drive very cautiously in the snow.

***Trainrex*** · 01-04-2008 07:10 AM

Originally Posted by GateWRXING

With all due respect...I'm not that stupid....If it was a matter of speed I wouldn't have posted a question about it. I drive very cautiously in the snow.

Seriously though, if you're sliding, you're going too fast.

**302@12psi** · 01-04-2008 07:13 AM

Originally Posted by GateWRXING

With all due respect...I'm not that stupid....If it was a matter of speed I wouldn't have posted a question about it. I drive very cautiously in the snow.

It really is speed. AWD doesnt help the car from rotating on it's center in slippery conditions.

I've noticed this on my STI with snow tires. Either slow down or plan on playing rear end catch up once the car starts to rotate.

**06wrx4me** · 01-04-2008 07:41 AM

Originally Posted by Trainrex

In Layman's terms, you're going to fast, and you're sliding.

Originally Posted by Trainrex

Seriously though, if you're sliding, you're going too fast.

Maybe you need to type it like Yoda next time.....

"Too fast you are going, sliding you are."

"Mother Nature says Slooooooowwww down, and GATEWRXING says F'that and kicks her in the face with his SNOW TIRES..."

^^^ Youtube Powerthirst

***Trainrex*** · 01-04-2008 07:42 AM

Originally Posted by 06wrx4me

"Mother Nature says Slooooooowwww down, and GATEWRXING says F'that and kicks her in the face with his SNOW TIRES..."

^^^ Youtube Powerthirst

I'm predicting a "Curb jumped in front of me" thread in his future.

**GateWRXING** · 01-04-2008 07:55 AM

I suppose so. I always thought I was cautious, but I'll practice some snow driving the next time I can get to an open lot.

**06wrx4me** · 01-04-2008 08:01 AM

Originally Posted by Trainrex

I'm predicting a "Curb jumped in front of me" thread in his future.

Close....deer.

Originally Posted by GateWRXING

So longstory short:

I went to my bodyshop to get an estimate for a deer incident (The roads were snowy so I had no choice but to break and slow down, I'm lucky I hit it as slow as I did or I would have had even more problems, bottom line it needs a new headlight, front bumper cover, fog light covers, left front fender...etc yada yada...2300 bucks---it happened a while ago actually, I'm not sure why I bring this up now, but I digress)

**GateWRXING** · 01-04-2008 08:10 AM

Originally Posted by 06wrx4me

Close....deer.

Yeah yeah yeah. I set myself up for this one.

But there will be others.

**yo vanilla** · 01-04-2008 09:59 AM

Originally Posted by GateWRXING

So in Layman's words....?

Does anybody else no the feeling that I am describing when you go around a turn in the snow with your subie. The steering gets lose and it seems as if the car is sliding a bit....its an odd feeling, its happened on both of my wrx's with the same snow tires (wintersportm3s)

that makes me question the awd of the subie sometimes and wonder if this is the way an audi drives in snow....

in layman's terms, audi (true quattro audi's like the A4) and (manual trans) subaru's use a similar AWD system in that they are both mechanical and both send constant power to both axles and can adjust the ratio or power between the axles as slip occurs. in the most basic terms they are mechanically equal and just use a different type of center differential. IMO they both feel very similar in the snow.

to contrast, some electronically controlled systems such as the haldex (haldex is its own company which sells their awd system to some manufacturers) send, well 95% technically but really all, of the power to the front axle until it slips, at which time it sends power to the rear axle.

**GateWRXING** · 01-04-2008 10:12 AM

Thank you sir.

**06wrx4me** · 01-04-2008 10:37 AM

Originally Posted by GateWRXING

Thank you sir.

An audi will still slide in the snow if you go too fast, and a curb or deer will pwn you.

**merlot** · 01-04-2008 10:38 AM

Before my '03 WRX, I had a '99.5 A4 2.8 quattro. By far Audi's system is more sophisticated. The torsion center diff's reactions are near instantaneous, while the braking system vectors torque side to side with the front and rear open diffs.

Grip award goes to Audi, fun award to the WRX. In an empty, snowy parking lot, it was nearly impossible to get my A4 in a drift. The WRX on the other hand, drifts beautifully.