Re: quattro for sale - only the rich need apply

[Dave Eaton <dave.eaton@minedu.govt.nz>]

developed by audi to remedy the obvious deficiencies of the sport namely, evil
handling and bad weight distribution.

the partial solution was to put so may wings and spoilers and gurney flaps on
the thing that it auditioned for a role in a batman movie....

it was, however a significant improvement on the sport and handled much better,
with some downforce and better handling (especially when airborne).  witness
rohl in san remo '85.

many people have said that the decision to shorten the wheelbase of the quattro
in order to develop the sport was wrong.  it probably imho wasn't, it was just
that the weight distrbution was all wrong.  witness the escort cosworth and the
new toyota corolla wrc cars.  small of wheelbase and reasonably narrow in
track.  this is the trend for modern rally cars (compare the celica, the
impreza).

the utlimate solution to audi's problems in group b in 1985 was to develop a
specialised rally weapon, mid engined, with speciailised suspension etc.  a
prototype was developed and seen testing, but audi withdrew after henri
poivonen's death after the board got pissed at all the money and the lack of
results.

dave
'95 rs2
'90 ur-q

>Date: Wed, 20 Aug 1997 16:03:16 GMT
>From: quk@isham-research.demon.co.uk (Phil Payne)
>
>In message <01BCAC0B.ACFE5CA0@dyn-max9-42.detroit.mi.ameritech.net> merlin
writes:
>
>> What's an S1?
>
>Much the same shape as an ur-quattro, but a lot more fins and spoilers.  
>Tubular chassis, with Kevlar bodywork thinner than a cereal box.  Driver's 
>door weighs about four ounces.  One-off mechanicals, some of them from 
>the Sport. Electronics of a medium-sized aircraft. The entire rear of the car 
>is oil coolers.
> 
>600+ bhp - rumoured to be up to 750bhp in competition.  Less than 2/3rds the 
>weight of a Sport and twice the power.
>
>Only a handful exist.  If it's even that many.
>