drinking Audi Kool-Aid

[MHLIGGINS <MHLIGGINS@aol.com>]

>Again I love my quattro, but a well-balanced rear wheel drive car handles
better on >anything approaching dry pavement.  

Um, let's see.  Anyone ever hear about BTCC or NATCC?  Wonder why the cars
with quattro systems are PENALIZED with extra weight in all races irrespective
of the weather????  Guess they don't know as much about handling and
performance??  My understanding is that the penalty was required to limit the
Audis enough to make the other cars competitive (in other words to keep Audis
from seriously and embarrassingly stomping the asses of the Beemers and others
in each and every race.)  Someone on the board is in Germany and seems to be
connected with Hans Stuck, so could probably provide insight as to Mr. Stuck's
opinion re: AWD vs. RWD.  He raced both, successfully.  Having seen him
interviewed on the video tapes, he seemed perfectly content with the quattro
system in all weather -- but more so in inclement weather.  He was able to win
in any weather, its' just that he won by a greater margin in bad weather.

Me too, and believe me, it's good stuff.

At the personal level, I found the quattro so much more sure footed in all
conditions I bought a second 5KTQ just so I wouldn't have to drive something
else when my daily driver has to have work done on it.  Understand, I still
like RWD, especially when connected to something like a 454 CID engine.  It's
much easier to get the back end to swing around to power slide corners with
RWD.  It requires some self-education to re-learn how to drive AWD after being
a RWD power freak.  (BTDT, still learning.)  One of the biggest lessons, as
with Porsches, if make sure to keep your foot planted in the corners.  Right
Unka Bart??  Jump in here and teach the mantras anytime now...... (Great post,
BTW!)

Anyway, that's the way it looks in Bucksnort this morning.

--ml
Confused in Bucksnort
(not on this issue, though!)