It doesn't rain much in the Silicon Valley (until lately), so every rainy drive is an opportunity to do some "stupid Quattro tricks". Two days ago, it was a drive up into the mountains, down the other side on tree-covered 1 1/2 lane roads, and up the coast to SF.

Today, it was a simply an almost full throttle left hand turn onto a freeway onramp.

I guess I figured I'd teach the Jetta VR6 beside me a thing or two.

Anyway, when the light changed, I applied liberal amounts of pedal (to my 2.7T) and steered on to the onramp.

What happened? Well, I was able to overpower the tire grip (non-Sport). But, it didn't plow like a FWD car. It didn't hang the tail out badly and threaten to spin like a RWD car. No, it just slid directly sideways a half-lane during the turn. I could have let off the throttle and returned to normal motion at any time. But I didn't feel like it, it just wasn't necessary. I just dialed in a little more steering input, and the car followed nicely. When I got to the straight part of the ramp, it stopped sliding like nothing had happened.

What a blast, and not a moment that I felt I wasn't completely in control. Whoever said AWD isn't as fun as RWD never tried them both in the rain.

The only problem is am becoming immune to the 2.7T power. I keep thinking I'm maybe losing power to a bad TBB or something. But a quick look at the speedo shows me I have hit 85 MPH in mere seconds, and the Passat that was beside me moments ago is barely visible in the rearview. This car is just eerily quiet at all speeds!

I also happened to stop at a light where the left hand side of the lane was torn up, with a smooth metal plate over the hole. A WET slick metal plate. Also, at the light, the metal came across the whole lane. So at the light, 3 tires would be on slick metal, and one on asphalt.

I've had to start off under these conditions before on my Saturn. It can be slippery. The car in front of me was over to the right and stopped behind the line to stay off the metal.

Know what happened when I hit the pedal (I paused a little so I could goose the engine a bit without hitting the car in front of me)? Nothing! It just pulled away with only two tires on asphalt. No EDL noise, nothing. Just power. When I got the front tires on the steel I laid in some more power. 3 tires on slick metal; power applied. Nothing. Despite having both left tires on metal and the front right and then right rear on metal (not at the same time), I had no slippage at all.

I'm a believer. I had bought a Quattro car just to get me past CalTrans up in Tahoe, but it shows its stuff well on the streets here also.

As some ad said: "What is power without control?"

 

Steve: Thats twice in two days you mentioned Saturn. Please no more, I think im getting nauseous! SM

 

A real nice report , Steve. Thanks.

 

I enjoyed it too. Maybe start working on a collection of short stories!

 

Add my name to the "enjoyed it" list.

 

It was a dark & stormy night.My Xenons lit up the road like daylight....

 

and suddenly, like a flash, there was...

 

a black Suburban w/a bleached blond on a cell phone coming right at me!

 

I am proud of your wet weather behavoir! ;-)

 

I could see she had locked-up her brakes and was sliding sideways.....