FIA Quattro Ban

[quk@sievers.com (Phil Payne)]

In message <2716a3a0@mailgw.sanders.lockheed.com> KSMITH1@mailgw.sanders.lockheed.com writes:

> This is deja vu all over again.

Interesting concept.

> In the hayday of the Trans Am, the SCCA banned full independent rear 
> suspension so Chevrolet couldn't put the Corvette rear end in the Camaro 
> and gain another unfair advantage. 

Not at al the same thing.  Audi is not being prevented from "cooking up" a race 
car using exotic bits.  They're being prevented from using the technology they 
already incorporate in the consumer product.

This started with the engine, where Audi is being forced to run a three-year-
old design because no one else has a five-valve-per-cylinder engine.  Now, 
because no one else has a competitive AWD system, Audi is being forced to FWD.
 
I'm all in favour of making race teams use reasonable, streetable technology - 
it forces development that's relevant to the consumer.  But forcing a team to 
go back three years for an engine they can lose with, and fifteen years for a 
drive train, is just plain ridiculous.
 
It does, however, demonstrate how effectively Audi have adopted Vorsprung durch 
Technik.  

--
 Phil Payne
 phil@sievers.com
 Committee Member, UK Audi [ur-]quattro Owners Club