TT for Rally type driving

[Robert T. Masson]

I have an '84 4000Q, a '98 A6Q and a 2001 TTQ roadster (and a '58 Porsche 
Cabrio which will shortly go into winter storage).  All Audis are first 
year on platform for America.  (I also drove into the ground '86 and '87 VW 
Syncros.)  Before the Q's, I had a '77 Fox wagon followed by the worst 
purchase of my life, a 4wd AMC Eagle, which dropped stick boxes out the 
bottom on a regular basis (after three replaced on warrantee, the fourth 
after same, I dumped it and got the '84 4000 Q in Wolfsburg pickup and 8 
months in Europe before importing -- without the catalyst, I redlined it in 
fifth, which is about 130 mph on the autobahn -- about 10 mph over stated 
max speed with catalyst.)

The '84 is about to see the parts market, it has some cool parts, but after 
this winter, it goes to the chopping and crushing bin.  I have enjoyed 
taking it in the forests of upstate NY and using Rally moves, which include 
braking into a corner and sometimes braking into the corner using left foot 
braking while on the accelerator.

With the '84 entering retirement, and the A6 being a luxo-sedan, I would 
like to be able to use my TT for Rally type driving.  But it is all screwed 
up for this purpose.  Antilock brakes, when they are most effective, kill 
the ability to hang out going into the corner on low traction dirt.  It 
also appears that if one uses brakes and accelerator at the same time, as 
is done in some rally driving, that there is an engine cutout.

Ideas and fixes?  I am now off warrantee, so chipping or other non-stock 
stuff is no longer a problem.

As long as I am on the subject, ESP should be either outlawed or relegated 
to an affirmative choice, not the default.  In our neck of the woods, there 
are times that one wants to spin for traction.  I can do it with my other 
cars, and all of my reflexes are based on this.  A few weeks back, on 
gravel, I had the option of accident avoidance via braking or flooring the 
car.  I floored it, and it decided to brake in front of the oncoming 
car.  I am happy to have others use the ESP, but I turn it off 90% of the 
time, the other 10% being like that day which almost led to an accident 
from it, when I simply do not turn it off.  In my area, ESP is a liability.

Anyhow, I expect that I am not alone in wanting to use my TT like a real 
sports car, and that probably some of you know exactly what to do to fix 
the silly factor defaults.

rob

PS:  I live on a high hill, and have used brake lockup in snow and ice to 
put the 4000Q into reverse when sliding downhill.  It is hard to handle, 
but it sure gets traction, and have probably used this maneuver three dozen 
times -- taken my car down the hill on days which I would not have 
attempted to do so without this option).  I avoided one accident with a 
move to reverse at about 55 mph (the oncoming car had no traction, and had 
slid into my lane).  The two times that I have had to invoke this mode in 
the TT have not sounded fun for the gearbox (antilock) even though only at 
about 10-15 mph in both cases.  It is well known that antilock is for sh** 
on ice, why or why not would Audi make this a manual switch 
option?  Selling to the oldsters for whom a sports car is a symbol, not a 
machine?


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Robert T. Masson, Director of Graduate Studies
Department of Economics
Uris Hall
Ithaca, NY 14853

Ph.D. Program:  http://www.arts.cornell.edu/econ/mainwindow.shtml

Personal web page:  My web site:  http://www.arts.cornell.edu/econ/masson/

Phone:  607 255-6288
FAX:     607 255-2818