Re: What's the big deal about Torsen?

[steveb@falcon.kla.com (Steven Buchholz)]

> Can it be there's a touch of jealousy here, with the USA not getting
> the TORSEN version?

... doubts abound ... they are not discussing non-torsen urqs agains 
torsen 200s, they are talking "200" torsen/non-torsen and stating the 
differences.  
> 
> In real terms, the MB TORSEN and the 20V cost almost 60% more than the
> original urq.  There's a reason for this - a lot of technology.  Not
> just vastly improved engine controls, accelerometer ABS, TORSEN, etc.,
> but a whole mess of tiny details.

OK ... and how much of the improved handling is due to the torsen and how 
much to the other things?  The discussion has been on whether or not it 
is better to have a torsen center diff ... a subject in which I am quite 
interested.  I thought that there would be no question ... but now I hear 
people with the T-cds talking about driveline shudder and poorer handling.
I guess I've gotta go to the V8Q's clutched arrangement  ;-)  Does anyone 
know if the clutch arrangement from the V8Q slushers can somehow be adapted
to a manual box?  Given that you could sense lateral acceleration you could
choose to send power appropriately with that setup ...
> 
> This is just as peculiar to me as the "5000tqw" comments.  There ain't
> no way - this is a completely different class of automobile.
> 
I wouldn't discount the "estate" so easily ... I own an "old tech" '83 urQ
and an '88 5kTQW and I enjoy driving both.  My impression is that the pur-
pose built rear suspension in the avant is very well done, and my *impres-
sion* is that although the 5k has a much more compliant suspension it seems 
to be able to handle the twisties as well as my '83.  This evaluation was 
done with the same tire/wheel combination on both.  Unfortunately I've never 
had either car on the track.  The "UR"-q (early '80s vintage simply has a 
front suspension spun around and bolted on the back ... does the "MB" urq 
have the same arrangement?  

The one advantage I see to the "UR" quattro is that the body is MUCH stiffer
than the 5k ... perhaps this characteristic makes it amenable to the charac-
teristics of the center torsen ... 

I hope that this discussion will be one that gets into technical details, and
will not degrade into another "mine's bigger than yours" waste of time ...

Steve Buchholz
s_buchho@kla.com
San Jose, CA (USA)