Re: Dynosaurus Rx

["Randall C. Markarian" <asenna@accessus.net>]

Steven Buchholz wrote:
> 
> >
> I guess I don't agree that to demonstrate the advantage of one over the other
> you need a single vehicle.  The automobile is a system and as such its dynamics
> are affected by the drive system.  Compare a FWD car to a RWD car ... RWD cars
> don't need to compensate for torque steer effects of FWD cars.  Would you handi-
> cap the validity of your test by using a standard RWD front suspension on your
> test mule?  I think that the more valid test would be to use all the tweaks
> you can find to optimize each configuration and test those.  Things that
> should be maintained constant as much as possible are overall weight distribu-
> tion outside of the drive train and aerodynamic characteristics, tires, braking
> systems and engine horsepower.  I don't know how you would test all configura-
> tions with a single test, but it seems to me that you could do a good test by
> using two similar models of a car that is available in FWD and AWD versions
> (Audi, Mitsubishi, Porsche, etc.).
> 
> IMHO the test was performed many times last year in the EC and down under ...
> as it was so many years ago here in the states.  The dominance of AWD in the
> touring car championships over FWD and RWD rivals soundly answers the question
> for me.
> 
I presented the  Touring car argument as a valid show of AWD
superiority, however Scott argued that if that were the case then other
manufacturers would jump on and most titles wuld go to AWD cars, which
is something we have not seen across the board.  So how would one
demonstrate AWD superiority?  If the cars are different and "tweeked",
thats racing, not testing.  Any PhD.'s want to explain how racing is not
testing, in the scientific sense?

> It is too bad to hear that V8 owners have been leaving the list because they
> feel that their car is "so different."  I know when I look at the fiche I see
> a lot of similarities [BTW I picked up a copy of the A8Q fiche @ Carlsen the
> other day :].  I appreciated hearing about the issues that the V8Q owners
> posted ... as that is one car that I wouldn't mind owning.  We've also seen
> members in the PNW region leave the list because of the "excessive BW" as well.

Well as I have been told that my presense is useless, I must finally
agree.  Right Scott?

-- 

Randall C. Markarian

1990 V8 Quattro
1996 Merc E320

Saint Louis, Missouri