A4Driver

I kid you not! Check out this article:

"Quattro Ultra"

My heart is sinking.
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AudioBear

Relax. It will automatically revert in milliseconds to being a Quattro when you act like a Quattro driver. And if it doesn't, you can force it to full-time AWD by selecting dynamic. If you can't detect any difference what's the problem? Or am I missing something?

Glisse

No, it is not "ALL future Audis".

It is a system to be used on the Ultra models, which are Audi's high efficiency range. Higher performance versions will continue to use self-locking centre differentials (either planetary or crown gear depending on model) as currently used on all longitudinal engine quattro versions.

As the Bear referenced, it only freewheels the rear drive shaft when it isn't needed, and can be overridden.

There is no way the mechanical rear torque vectoring sports differential will be used with the Ultra version (it would more than off-set the weight and efficiency gains from the Ultra quattro system), so that article is not particularly accurate. Torque vectoring will continue to be via EDC controlled braking, as it is done currently

D3Audi

These FWD cars that have an "AWD system" that kicks in when the wheels slip don't cut it where I live. Once your front wheels slip, it's to late. The rear wheels won't do anything if your vehicle has already lost momentum and is stuck. I really hope Audi doesn't deviate from their heritage. If they absolutely had to go this route I wish they would have made it a RWD biased system, the thing I like about an Audi, is that it has a full time AWD system. Bummer

Vaks

I highly doubt Audi would drop Quattro, it sells much more then the FWD vehicles. I honestly wouldn't mind this if I there is a button to override the function and be on Quattro at all times. There is some days in the summer where I'm driving down local roads not really needing Quattro. If this new system does bring better "efficiency" and better fuel mileage I wouldn't mind giving it a shot. Good job Audi

the_duke

If it works like most other systems you won't even notice it happening. It does this very quickly.

D3Audi

Yea, that's true, but I've driven other vehicles that have similar Haldex style systems and what happens is when you start to slip, you lose momentum and by the time the rear wheels kick in, it's too late and the vehicle has lost too much momentum to carry on. Just my own personal opinion. But I really hope there would be a simple override system. I'm curious to see the new B9 Allroad.

A4Driver

Torque steer, anyone?
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Glisse

??

Not according to any of the journalists that have driven it. Plus the freewheeling mode would not be active in a situation where torque steer may occur. The system is only supposed to engage where there is no difference between having 4 wheels or 2 wheels providing drive. Otherwise it would be pointless to have a quattro system on the car at all.

Still, I am not so interested in any of the Ultra models myself, which is probably socially irresponsible

superswiss

It'll be interesting to experience this system. This weekend I carpooled with a friend going to the ski resort. He drives an old Volvo Cross Country and we took his car. He wanted me to drive it in the snow as I'm much more experienced. Now this is the old viscous coupling Volvo AWD system, but much like the later Haldex systems and others, it puts pretty much all the torque on the front axle until the front wheels start to slip. I believe it's like the Audi Haldex system, where it puts 95% on the front and 5% on the rear under normal driving.

We didn't get stuck despite having all-season tires, so the AWD system was working, however it was terrible to drive. The front wheels constantly wiped out and I lost the ability to steer. At slow speeds with the car having momentum it was like driving an FWD car. Really terrible. The rear axle did come in to get us moving in deep snow etc., but once the car was moving it was pretty much FWD. Didn't like this at all.

I realize that the newer systems are much more proactive and this new system is supposed to be even more proactive, but there are times where the car has momentum and AWD doesn't seem to be needed, however with the front wheels doing the steering and the pulling you end up all over the place until you loose enough traction for the system to decide to reengage the rear axle. Even trying to start in deep snow, the front of the car started to drift left and right, before the rear axle started to help out.

My understanding is that this new system is still reactive in unanticipated situations. For example you suddenly hit a slipper patch of road, or you are trying to start in deep snow. These FWD-biased "part-time" systems are fairly transparent as long as the computer can be proactive with engaging the rear axle, but when it reverts to reactive, that's when the flaws come out.