Re: 4-matic system on E320's?

[Paul Wilson <pwilson@pop.ma.ultranet.com>]

At 05:46 PM 6/4/98 -0500, Brett Dikeman wrote:
>I was just peruising the latest issue of NorEaster, the Porsche Club of
>America NE division's newletter, and there's an article in it by Bruce
>Corwin where he talks about the virtues of Mercedes' 4-Matic system on his
>wife's wagon, calling AWD(which mercedes does as well.)  However, my
>memories of the older 4-matic systems were that they were basically
>automatic-switching rwd/4wd systems, not full time, all wheel drive.
>What's the story here?

This is the same system used on the MB M-class and is not related to the
old 4-matic system.  The system has 3 open differentials and applies the
brake(s) to a spinning wheel(s) which results in the torque being sent the
other way.  It seems like a good system and in fact, Audi uses a similar
system but only for one axle at a time with EDL.

Paul Wilson