Let's talk about quattro driving in the snow

[Sean Ford]

This is my first winter with quattro. Just this morning, with fresh snow on the ground, the front
slid straight and the car continued to move in a straight line. Obviously, this isn't the best
situation when one is expecting to successfully complete a corner! Thankfully, I hit a dry patch,
which corrected the slide.

I've driven both fwd and rwd cars in the snow. FWD will lose the front, but a quick pull on the
emergency brake will swing the rear around. RWD will push the front, but a quick jab on the gas
pedal will swing the rear around; if RWD loses the rear, modulating the slide was usually the most
entertaining way through the corner. I'm at a bit of a loss here with quattro.

Once I lose the front with quattro, what is the best way to rotate the car? I recall some advice
warning against lifting off the throttle because the engine braking on the rear wheels could cause
an unwanted spin. Though, if I don't lift off the throttle, the front will simply continue to
push. Interesting from a dynamic, after-the-event, point of view. Frightening from a
happening-right-friggin'-now point of view.

My only thought here is to always expect to lose the front and try to set the car up in such a way
as to toss it sideways into the corner. Oh, I bet my wife would just love that scenario!

Thoughts? Advice?

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Sean Ford
1999 A6q tiptronic | 1992 100CS 5-spd
http://community.webshots.com/user/seanmford

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