[urq] TT commercial - '1st AWD passenger car' claim

[james accordino]

--- Huw Powell <audi at mediaone.net> wrote:

> bods to help prevent Joe
> > Public from associating cars like the quattro with
> off-road vehicles like
> > the Jeep?
> 
> here's a stab at that.
> 
> 4wd uses a transfer case, AWD a center differential.
> 
> What does this mean?  I think it means that in 4WD
> the front and rear
> axles must turn at the same speed, whereas in AWD
> the differential can
> accomodate difereing speeds (for cornering, etc.)
> 
> Now the Jensen FF looked suspiciously like a
> transfer case to me - a big
> old chain connecting the output to the rear to the
> front.  I read all
> about it and still wasn't sure whether there was an
> ability to deal with
> different axle speeds - it seemed like it might.
> 
I think Huw's got it right on.  I think about 4WD as a
PTO for the front wheels.  Also because this thing
makes no allowances for differing levels of traction,
wheel speeds, etc. the wear is grave if left engaged
for long periods of time.  Care to guess how long a
Jeep/pickup can drive in "real" 4WD till something
expensive breaks?

Jim Accordino