(LAC) Forgive me father, for I am about to sin

[Roy Wendell]

On Feb 26, 2007, at 9:06 AM, Andrew Duane wrote:

> My trusty old 2000 A6Q is no longer cutting it for me, I need a wagon.
> Given the way AoA treated me in my time of need with this A6, and the
> price they've raised new Avants to, I can't even stomach the thought of
> a new Audi. So I went looking around. Nothing really struck me, until 
> by
> chance I got to test drive a Volvo V70-R.  Oh my......
>
>
>
> It is a basic Volvo V70 (their large wagon) but without the
> Cross-Country trim (and the big tall tires and SUV suspension that make
> it drive not very well). Instead, it's the "sport" model. It sports the
> venerable 20V I5 turbo engine from Audi of the early 90's, beefed up to
> 2.5L and 300HP.

But it's not. Entirely different motor.

>  There's an active suspension chassis with 3 settings and
> dynamic stability control. There's also a tiptronic-like autobox or 6
> speed stick, and Haldex AWD diffs.

The Haldex is not a differential. It's a coupling as in it couples and 
uncouples the rear wheels to the rest of the drivetrain. While it is by 
all accounts extremely quick acting it is still a fwd car with a rear 
drive add on just like the TT/R32. I have seen some very fast TTs at 
the autocross and I remember one of the automotive magazine wags raving 
about how the Haldex in the TT with its electronic active controls 
allowed him to go stupid fast in the rain. On the other hand its only 
as good as its programming and I've heard lots of horror stories from 
people driving the various electronic locking differentials (like 
Subaru DCCD) or electronic coupling systems in low traction situations. 
In the end I suppose it's a question of semantics but the Volvo system, 
like all the Haldex or other coupling schemes, can't really be called 
AWD nor drive the same. Oh, and it's not diffs as in plural. The front 
and rear axle of the Volvo, to the best of my knowledge, has open 
mechanical diffs.

> So there's at least a little Audi in
> its soul,

Not at all. Ford is more like it. Sort of.

>  the Audi from when we liked them, not the current crop of
> corporate watered down sales brochures.

Not to mention ugly. I used to say that Audi was the only remaining 
German car that looked good after BMW got Bangled and Mercedes cars 
just got all melted jellybean looking but now I can't even say that. 
Stupid grill. The Volvo's not bad by comparison.

>  But, I have a few questions.
>
>
>
> First, how do folks with the Haldex diffs like them? They are still on
> the TT's, right? And some other models had them?
>
>
>
> The car comes with 235/45/17 Z-rated rubber (Michelin Pilot A/S or
> Pirelli P-Zero). I'm thinking these are not exactly snow-friendly. Am I
> nuts for thinking about any car with such thin rubber up here in Snow
> Hampshire? Or am I resigning to twice-yearly changeovers between Z 
> rated
> summer flats and serious snows (and carefully avoiding every pothole
> there is)?

That should be mandatory anyway. AWD without the added stopping and 
cornering of real snow tires only gets you to the scene of the accident 
instead of stuck in the driveway.

>  Stepping down to 16" rims is not an option; there's no brake
> clearance. Oh, and if you had your druthers between those two tires,
> which would you choose? I can get either.
>
>
>
> This car was truly amazing. It stuck to the road and handled better 
> than
> any Audi I've ever been in, and managed to do it with a grace and
> refinement that I have yet to see out of any Audi product. And it
> manages to do it for $5K less than even a base A6Q Avant, much less an
> All-Road. Oh, and the seats are truly a blessing for those of us with
> middle aged butts that crave a little comfort.
>
>
>
> /Andrew
>

Roy