the torsen in the press (was marketing 101)

[Dave Eaton <dave.eaton@minedu.govt.nz>]

as a counterpoint to the two groups discussing the torsen:-

group 1: it is the physics of the device, it will happen to all quattro audis,
occurs without warning at 70% effort in the dry, is uncontrollable, and you
should just thank god that you haven't been bitten.  and curse audi for
foisting this cynical attempt at marketing upon us poor unsuspecting souls..

group 2: not sure about the physics, hasn't happened to us at 70% in the dry,
not sure that it has happened at all, certainly not in our cars.

........
i went digging at the library last week-end to document the reaction of the
press to the arrival of the 1988 ur-quattro which, as we know, was the first
fitted with the torsen, where the chassis stayed the *same* as the earlier open
centre diff (with lock) car (ur-quattro).

data points: the chassis stayed the same between the open centre and torsen
diff cars, at the least the chassis setup parameters (castor, camber etc) have
not changed.  the torsen was added, the brakes upgraded and the engine
strengthened with a better turbo, improved c/r and better low-down response. 
ater inthe 20v, the twin cam head was added, along with some new wishbones. 
again the chassis setup parameters didn't change.

test: ur-quattro against the lancia delta integrale.  the integrale came with a
centre vc and a rear torsen.

instance #1 - magazine: autocar 10th feb 1988

"the quattro isn't as easily mastered, but ultimately is even more rewarding
than the intergale...

"the quattro can be flung into corners at outrageous speeds with no danger of
losing either end.  stiffer suspension gives less body roll than the lancia,
but the steering felt too sensitive.  you can really feel the torsen centre
diff porportioning the torque between the front and rear wheels to keep the
quattro on line.  the car stays on a neutral line as if it were glued to the
tarmac - there are no such sensations with the lancias 65/44 front/rear torque
split.

"the quattro maintained it's slight edge as the roads became wet, a
characteristic repeated as we took both cars around the handling circuit at our
test track.  the track was completely wet, although there were no pools of
standing water...on the two 180 degree corners there was no need to play with
the steering or the throttle to keep the quattro on line, the torsen diff took
care of that.  in contrast the lancia had to be driven more like a rally car. 
it was important to set the car up for the corner with a slight flick of the
wheel and turn in well before the quattro, then the lancia could be powered
through with a hint of opposite lock.  the lancia was certainly more nimble and
felt more secure through the chicane, and after 6 laps had got to within a
second of the quattro's best lap time.

instance #2: performance car on the torsen ur-quattro

performance car march 1988.

comparison with the bmw 325ix, the ford xr4x4, the lancia delta integrale and
the 323 awd.  btw, the 325ix was panned and "unanimously voted last".  i seem
to remember one contributor to the torsen thread really rating this machine... 

"what this particular exercise did demonstrate very clearly was that four-wheel
drive cannot be viewed in isolation from the rest of the car.  all those arcane
arguments about the virtues of the various transmission systems [oi, they're
talking about us] come to nothing when seen in the light of, say, the bmw's
dismal steering and brakes, or the sheer grip of the quattro. 

"the 1988 quattro model has not pushed the outer limit any further..., but the
last 2/10th's has become easier to explore.  the marked gain, however, is in
the handling.  the torsen diff's ability to vary torque to match traction has
put an effective end to the nose heavy feel that couldn't help but mar the old
quattro's high speed handling.  it now feels a much more neutral machine.

performance car march 1990
the delta integrale vs the ur-quattro 20v (torsen)

"the quattro, meanwhile, shows that composture soon outweighs size, eventually
proving well capable of staying with the nimble integrale on everything but the
most cautionary of hairpins.  driven hard, its apparent softness alongside the
lancia remanifists itself as a beautifully controlled suppleness.  there is now
more understeer than in the lancia, but less twitchiness; with the ultra quick
torsen centre split, the torque shifts are instant and positive, the steady
state that much easier to reach.  again, the quattro is a car which can hold a
neutral stance against some very hard trying, of that can be driven with
controllable power-induced oversteer.

ps the 20v ur-quattro was "performance car's" 1992 performance car of the year.

dave
'95 rs2
'90 ur-q