Re: Fizzicks in Audis

["Matt & Jenai" <matjen@xsite.net>]

On 2/11/98 Tom writes:

"It gets tiring to hear all you quattroholics keep bad mouthing
Mustangs......lest we remeber:
- the original MSRP of a Mustang GT was half of a Quattro....
- the 302 is a 28 year old design.......
- gimme a week and 1/2 the $$ you spend on your Q's, and I
would make a Mustang dust your Q's off the line and down the strech
Oh yeah....the same hold true for a Z28 and a Trans Am as well...."

Well I am definitely a quattroholic (type 44 body) but I completely agree
with Tom.  I have loved my Qs because they were inexpensive to buy used,
forward looking in design, practical, provide stable handling in ALL
conditions, and they are tweakable.  Once moderately tweaked, a type 44
becomes a spirited car.  It doesn't become a rocket.  Even tweaked (ECU,
etc. - I'm not talking RS2, IC, head), there are dozens of cars that will
walk away from a type 44.  In the states a stock 5TQ did 0-60 in 8.3 (C&D),
and 8.06 (MT) when new.  Hell, a Camry does 7 seconds with a six cylinder
and I think that may be also with an automatic.

With regard to the Q v. Mustang talk, I can honestly say that I have never
done more than be able to keep up with a 5.0 in straight line acceleration
or in traffic.  Perhaps I would have an advantage on a track or in real
twisties.  In open road playing with stage II mods I have been passed by
stock 5.0 Mustangs and that has happened even when I was in the sweet spot
on a 87 5TQ (3rd gear at about 45 mph).

Now, of course, a Mustang can't play hard in the rain and can't play at all
in the snow.  IMHO, the car is a brute and lacks panache - but that is the
way it was designed - to appeal to a different type of market.  I think a
better comparison can be made between a type 44 and a Thunderbird SC.  I
could barely keep up with one (an automatic in poor exterior condition -
definitely not tweaked) a few days ago.  My tastes definitely lean towards
German cars, but this is a big, roomy (back seat may be small) sedan that
flies.  I am sure if you tweaked one there wouldn't be a Q in the land that
could stay with it.  Does anyone (Graydon, Scott J.) know anything about
these cars?

Just my .02
Matt Pfeffer - 89 200TQW - stage II