First off, keep in mind I have a '00 with sport package...which equates to non-sport suspension...and solely H-sports, rear set to firm, of course. Also, I was running Kuhmo Supra 712 tires on 17x7.5 S4 wheels at cold pressures of 36 front / 38 rear (which turned out to be perfect based on hot pressures, tire temps, and scrubbing just to the edge of the tread shoulders.

I had multiple comments from instructors regarding the handling of the A6 with ONLY H-sports... After being asked 'There's something different about this car...have you modified the suspension at all?' My answer of 'just swaybars' was followed by my instructor explaining that 'The car is much more benign and neutral than other quattros of this size...I wouldn't make any modifications to change that neutrality'.

I noticed that when pushed to the lateral limits, I get different stages of feedback the further I'd push it. Such feedback came in the following order:
<b>1.</b> I feel the <b>tires start to chatter</b>, or 'sipeing' as one instructor on the skidpad called it.
<b>2.</b> With a little more speed, the <b>rear end steps out</b> just a hair...barely enough to notice, but the front grips and carries the car along perfectly.
<b>3.</b> Adding speed beyond stage 2 results in <b>neutral sliding out</b>, not understeer and not oversteer, but a powerslide, of sorts. At one point, I let off the throttle about 20% for just a second, then added that 20% back on quickly and did a (dare i say it) drift for about 1/4 the diameter of the skidpad...made my instructor laugh and clap like a 2 year old. He then went on to comment on me 'doing incredibly' and that my 'carrying the car' was an 'advanced skill'. Made me giddy.

I was pushing her hard on the track, usually too hard as I likely scrubbed off too much speed instead of tracking all the way out. Of course, for a greenhorn, using the whole track to it's limits isn't the safest bet...and it almost bit me once...

During my 3rd session on Tuesday, I was carrying about 80+ through hogpen and dipped the left-rear tire into the dirt. At that point the Kuhmos were very hot and greasy, and I made the rookie mistake of ever so briefly lifting just a little off the throttle, which started bringing the *** around and the rear tire off the curb...I was quick to get back on the throttle just enough to snap her *** back on track. That's when I decided I had had enough, had my fastest lap, and signed off on my last session to help me relax a little for the drive home.

I came away from my first DE with an understanding of my vehicle exponentially higher than what I arrived with. I thought I knew quattros, having owned 3 over the past 10 years, and taking them to and beyond the limits on snowy parking lots, and wet on-ramps (smacks own wrist). Anyone who has been on the fence about attending a DE, sign up and do it!! If everyone on the road today would attend just one DE event...I'd bet accidents would decrease by a HUGE percentage.

PS - I have in-car video of said skidpad and track lessons; I just have to download it and sort through it...I'l post it/them when I get a chance.

 

That sounds like an absolute blast!

 

I wish I could free myself up for the May drivingevent at New Hampshire International Speedway, but I have a work commitment, so I cannot go. Oh well. Another time.

You coming up to Boston for "business" any time soon???

 

No Baaston trips planned as of now, but I had a trial sched. for next month that settled. :/

 

I'm actually sorting through options to eliminate the understeer I experienced. MB obviously dumbs down the car (bigger rear tires and soft rear stabilizer bar). After 2 sessions of plowing through turns, I found that dropping front tire pressure helped a LOT. By the last session I was running about 34 lbs (cold) in front and 35 in back. Turn in was dramatically better, but still not neutral.

After years of quattro driving, I was surprised how little differed driving a 350HP rear-drive car. On turn 3, and Oak Tree, I periodically had rear wheel spin and some fish-tailing, but not too bad. (I actually left a blue cloud of rubber-smoke at Oak Tree once -- fun.) The ESP switch-off did not eliminate all assists, but I was not interested in drifting anyway!

I also ran one session solo, and I was amazed at how comfortable I was. Somehow, without another human next to me, I was less intimidated and more willing to test the limits. I really appreciate the instruction, but having an observer really suppressed my lunacy.

Once I established that I was not going to spin out on exits, I made use of the slow-in / fast-out technique, and the AMG motor was a monster. Tracking out of turn 1 and turn 5 was a real rush, and as noted above, I could smoke the tires at will exiting Oak Tree. On the long straights, the power from 80 to 120 MPH was really surprising. I was hauling down most B6 S4s, as well as WRX STis.

My instructor urged me to be as nasty to my tires as possible because they were truly the limiting factor in my performance. He told me to get some better tires for the next time out.

EBC Red Stuff ceramic pads = awesome.

 

I'm thinking I'll be at the event later this year.

By the way, I'm running Falken rt-615's right now. I used to run higher pressures like that but have found that lower will actuall work very well. I currently about 29 front and 27 rear...after a session they come in around 35 front, 33 rear.

I'll also say that the falkens talk LIKE CRAZY. I've given up on thinking they will quiet down, they're just plain loud. It's pretty funny when they squeel on turn in all the way out to runnout when I'm on full throttle (I'm actually spinning them just a touch from the extra omph in the motor)

Man, I really wish I had been there.

 

The theory is that it's better to have a car understeer and go straight into another object as opposed to spinning, going off track/line, and/or sideswiping another object.

I love that the H-sports made the A6 perfectly neutral! My limiting factors were my lack of steering/throttle coordination when tracking out of turns...oh, and the tires. :P

The 6 pulled up to 100 no problem, but started to feel the parachute that was the front windows down and rear windows up...I glanced down once upon reaching for the binders at the end of the back straight and saw 118; a HUGE difference in my initial 95-100 speeds the first day. I hit about 115 on thre front after carrying some good speed through hogpen.

 

Nice write-up.

 

met up with O W Kenobi. I saw his car, but never got around to meeting him.

Jim

 

Some better shocks help a lot too. With stock shocks, springs, and H-sports there's a tendancy to bounce when hitting bumps mid-bend.

That tendancy is much improved with the Bilsteins fitted.