Re: Gearing on 86 4000 quattr

[JGOEKE.UNIX11@mailsrv2.eldec.com (JGOEKE)]

To: AUDI

>Why did they gear the 86 4000 quattro sedan so low? At 120 mph
>the revs are already well near 6000, and it would seem that it
>wastes gas. I have an 84 non quattro coupe that I am selling,
>and it has a similar 1st, 2nd, and third, but 4, and especially
>5 on the coupe offer a lot more leway. I think it is at about
>5000 rpm at 120 mph.

It's simple.  More performance.  The 4000Q has a wonderfully spaced gear
box for the power/weight of the car.  No big gaps between gears for smooth
consistant acceleration.  With the car running out of power at 6000rpm at
120, this sound like perfect use of the RPM to bring the car to top speed
at or near the peak of the power curve.  It may waste a tad more gas, if
that's your only concern, buy a GEO Metro (NFI).

I've seen to many great cars ruined with lousy gear ratio's used in an
attempt to either appease the CAFE people, or marketing to the average bozo
driver who could care less about maximizing the cars potential and "does'nt
want to shift that often".  Most people I know (excluding racers) shift at
2500 rpm on cars design to do 6500 or more.  These are the same clueless
types that say, "It does'nt have any power"......Well.... I feel much
better now....Sorry for all the babble, and NFI, but I hate to see great
car designs belittled by the unfounded "Does'nt that waste gas" argument.
---JCG.