re: v8 stuff

[eliot <eliot@eskimo.com>]

there's something inefficient about quattros and automatic transmission.
even though i have never tried a 5spd v8 i have driven enough cars to
know that the slush v8 is horribly slow off the line for an engine
of its output.

for example, the subarus and mitsubishi automatic AWDs have much better
off the line go than the v8..  

studying the latest A4 brochure, if the factory's published numbers are
anything to go buy, the performance penalty for a Q + slush vs. Q + manual
is significantly greater than a fwd slush vs. fwd manual. 

i've also noticed that Q's with manual have a very low, almost granny low
1st gear to get things moving quickly.  perhaps the slushbox's higher 1st
gear is the key here. 

i suspect that the inertia from the massive, virtually indestructible
driveshafts is where most of the losses come from.  in 1986 audi claimed
that each end can handle 100% of the engine's output for the few
occassions that the diffs are locked solid, which means that most of the
time it is massively over engineered since each end nominally handles only
50%.  and how often do we even get to drive at 100% engine output?

with the new kindler gentler torsens that are now only sending a maximum
of 70% power to each end it would seem to make sense to use lighter weaker
driveshafts in the interests of lower driveline inertia.  or use carbon
fiber driveshafts as in the competition cars.  btw, we looked under
brian presser's stock 90Q20V and found that the driveshafts were steel,
not carbon fiber as claimed earlier by some.


eliot