A4Q 2-stage accelerator???

[Achille Riviello <acriviel@mailhost.ecn.uoknor.edu>]

Those of you who may have read my other post tonight know that I just
returned from a wonderful driving experience in my 96 A4Q 5-speed today.
While I have driven it for long-ish distances before, this drive gave me the
time to examine some things I had been wondering about with respect to the
performance and operation of the vehicle.

The one thing in particular that I wanted to play with was the accelerator
(of couse, but not for the reason you may think).  I have noticed in my
other drives that the accelerator pedal seemed to have 2 stages to it.
Overall, the idle-to-full open is quite a long distance to travel.  However,
after experimenting over and over today and yesterday, I have found that my
pedal does have *two* distinct stages to it.  The first stage has
light-medium resistance to it and extends to about half depression.  The
second stage has much heavier resistance and extends from 1/2 depression to
full.  There is a clear point of definition between the two stages.  The
funny thing is that if one is light-footed, the second stage might easily be
mistaken for the floor.  It is very easy to cruise along without going into
that second stage--even at 90-95 mph.  However, push past the first stage
and into the harder resistance portion and you distinctly feel a torque
rush--even when already cruising at 95!  It happens almost immediately when
that boundary is crossed.  The rpm level does not seem to have any influence
on this behaviour--the same thing happens in 5th gear at 3000 rpm (about 70
mph) as does at 4000 rpm (93 mph).  Also found the same behaviour in 3rd,
4th, and 5th gears.  In easing up on the pedal, no resistance change was
noticable when crossing that threshold, but immediate re-depression found it
to be in the same place--with the same results.

In driving about the town, I have found that I seldom push into that 2nd
stage---acceleration is ample without resorting to that.

Anyone have this experience?  Can anyone explain it?  Technical jargon be
damned--it feels almost like a turbo of some sort, but throttle-activated
rather than rpm-activated.  It really does feel a lot like the one and only
turbo I have driven (Ford Probe GT Turbo).--maybe after driving my 4000s for
10 years, I'm just not used to a car with a few horses under the hood...

Any input would be appreciated.  Thanks in advance.

Achille Riviello
acriviel@mailhost.ecn.uoknor.edu
83 4000s, 200+k miles,
96 A4Q, 1054 miles,
HK USP45,
HK P7M13
"In a world of compromise, some don't"--HK