What's the word on quattro power distribution being rear biased?
 

B7 S4's reportedly will be 'rwd biased quattro' so as to get that intuitively 'better' feel that BMW's have.

Is the entire B7 Quattro line going to be like that?
It would address one of the things that irked me about Audi's (the other being too much weight in the front.. which maybe one day Audi will change to a more even weight distribution).

Re: What's the word on quattro power distribution being rear biased?
 

https://forums.audiworld.com/s4b6/msgs/230597.phtml

<a href="https://forums.audiworld.com/s4b6/msgs/230597.phtml">B6 S4 forum message about rear biased Quattro in the future</a>

Just wondering if any word is out about the rest of the B7's getting this.

THUNBERBIRD!
 

Here is the story on the new (Asymetric Quattro). On the new S4 (which I have driven) the default tourque split is 40front 60rear. The car has the same 4:1 torque sensing diff. Meaning the way the B6 handled a curve is the same way the B7 will. It will still send the power to the axle with the most tourque/grip.
This supposed system was designed to keep the MADD magazine writers happy to say that the S4 has a sporty AWD system eventhough the car behaves exactly the same. It seems Audi is counting on the placeebo effect with this "New" system.

so you didn't feel a difference in handling.. compared to 'old' quattro
 

(lack of a better name)

What's the weight balance on the B7 S4? still front heavy?

I did not feel a difference
 

And I don't think anybody should if you look at the mechanics of how the quattro works. What a lot of people seem to be after is wheel-spin for the back wheels and quattro's mission is to eliminate wheelspin.

The B7 does have less understeer but that is due to ESP 8.0 not the new quattro system. Even if you enter a turn way too hot the dosent really understeer is feels more like a powerlslide.

Re: What's the word on quattro power distribution being rear biased?
 

check the latest posts about this on the B6 or B7 S4 forums... basically, it turns out only MY2006 S4s and upcoming RS4s will have this rear bias. there's been no mention yet of it coming to the A4.

the 2005.5 B7 S4s will not have it according to the latest info in those forums.

I don't think that's ESP.
 

I think it's just a better setup balance suspension wise.

Add a good rear sway to the B5 and you eliminate understeer (or at least drastically reduce) as well.

"people seem to be after wheel-spin"
 

I think people are after a seperation of tasks. Steering for the front, and driving push from the rear.

Presently, 'old' quattro tends to leave both of those tasks to the front wheels with the odd re-distribution when one of the tires loses grip.

It's questionable as to whether one can feel the difference, but still one to try and figure out.

I had a 911 C4.. which was definitely rwd biased awd... but due to the weight difference (to the rear) and a whole different chassis.. it's not like I should even consider comparing it to whether I'd sense the difference if it were fwd bias (which I'm prone to thinking would not be as good).

What I'd find interesting is comparing the S4 experience before and after the bias change. It seems like a fair comparison... see if it gets Audi closer to that elusive bmw handling that's sought after.

Re: What's the word on quattro power distribution being rear biased?
 

Here's an article on the new quattro system; it is scheduled to be standard on all 2007 model year quattro-equipped cars.<ul><li><a href="http://wardsauto.com/ar/auto_audi_launches_newgeneration/index.htm">http://wardsauto.com/ar/auto_audi_launches_newgeneration/index.htm</a</li></ul>

Thanks! nice link