new S4 has rear biased torque split!

[eliot <eliot@eskimo.com>]

perhaps the various magazines have been too enchanted by the new S4's
massive torque output to mention that for the very first time since 1980 a
regular production quattro has a rear biased torque split of 46:54. 
(according to the current issue of performance car magazine, which has an
excellent technical write up on the S4)

the competition cars have been using rear biased splits for a long time
but it took until now for us to see it on a road car.  it must have been
motivated by the huge output of the engine.  i guess with a slight
biasing to the rear powerslides are now more possible than before.

the other less noteworthy development is that with quattro IV (i.e.
quattro w/ 4WTC) the torsen's teeth has been blunted somewhat.

old torsens had the gears cut such that torque splits of 78:22 were
available.  the torsens on the new cars have a less agressive 70:30
maximum variation.  i'd be interested in seeing how they use a torsen
to do a rear biased split on the S4 since the torsen usually splits
things 50-50 nominally.

i guess that would also open up new aftermarket possibilities for hot rod
1.8Ts too i suppose.


eliot