Re: quattro vs. Syncro??

[Tom Leveckis <leveckis@ici.net>]

Paul A. Hausman wrote:

> At 10:12 AM 2/13/98 -0700, Iain Mannix wrote:
> >What exactly are the differences between the quattro and Syncro
> systems?
> >More specifically, the 4kq and VW qsw - I just saw something in the
> Audi
> >newsgroup claiming that "old Syncro" is/was not as desirable for high
>
> >performance driving as quattro - any insights?
>
> I may be wrong, but, I always understood that "quattro" was Audi's
> patented
> mechanism to route the drive shaft to the front wheels through the
> center of
> the hollow main drive shaft.

Aren't VW and Audi of the same family???? I was reading that in late '98
the Passat will
have the A4 Quattro system but labaled syncro

>
>
>   Bad ascii graphic ***>
>
>                       _________*********
>        Front drive=============**trans**============Rear drive
>                       ---------*********
>                         ^hollow main drive shaft
>
> I believe syncro uses side-by-side drive shafts.
>
> The quattro system keeps max. mass lower and closer to the centerline
> of the car, improving both packaging and handling. It also means the
> front diff is about at the centerline of the car, resulting in closer-
>
> to-equal-length half-shafts, again improving handling.
>
> I've heard, however, that VW/Audi are going to do more sharing of
> drivelines in the future and VW's will all be called syncro, with
> Audis all called quattro, regardless of technology used, so watch out.
>
> ----
> Paul A. Hausman                <paul@lion.com>
> Lion Technology Inc., Lafayette, NJ, 07848 USA