Re: Weight a minute

[QSHIPQ <QSHIPQ@aol.com>]

In a message dated 98-04-08 13:31:10 EDT, you write:

<< Remember the 325iX?  The car looked like it had a lift kit.
 You can't have an AWD system like Audi's (with hollow output shaft) 
 and not have a front end heavy car.  Otherwise you are running 
 driveshafts through the oil pan and raising the car to avoid splitting the 
 transfer case on a local speed bump.  If you compare those two Audi 90 
 quattro and the BMW 325iX.  Which one has better chassis?  Which has 
 a center of gravity closer to a Jeep?  I think Audi did not 
 compromise as much as BMW in that case. They stoped making didn't 
 they.  And do not quote any magazines becouse all of that is too subjective 
 from the writers point of view. 
  >>
Objective  tests sir only, the 90 non q faired better than the 90q.  The 325IX
was better than the 90q in:  0-60, 0-20snow, dry braking, snow braking, snow
lat accel, dry slalom handling, snow handling, and hillclimb.  No subjective
necessary.  The ONLY place the 90q beat the 325IX was dry lat accel.  R&T 5/88

So I give the better chassis to the BMW.  Better quattro design, naw.  But
certainly the numbers indicate that the attempt worked, one could even argue,
combined with the chassis dynamics and ALL the compromises, BETTER.  And ABS
on the torsen car, couldn't beat the FWD 90, in fact it was 33 FEET longer
from 20mph than the 90fwd in the snow, and 14 FEET longer than the 325IX.
After driving both, I don't think the 90q to the 325IX was a fair comparo.
Why?  Apples to oranges in subjective and objective feel.

So all those compromises add up to a "jeep"?  What, then sir, would you call
the 90q?  And I suppose we could compare the resale value of that "jeep" to
the 90q as well.  That "jeep" holds it's value better than a 91 200tq.  

Calling the 325IX a jeep, makes me think you have to call the 90q a first
generation trooper, better yet, how bout that subaru pickup with rear
jumpseats.

Maybe, given the recent rwd successes, BMW looks at quattro as too many
compromises.  A good decision?  Sure seems to be from every aspect except
dashboard trim.  That is a compromise I suppose.

Scott