RE: FW: Bites of dead horses, last post for me

["Eric Renneisen" <renneie@hlthsrc.com>]

>> Is this the reason for Audi going on to the haldex system and 
>> its computer control - the unpredictable nature of the torsen 
>> when at the limits of performance?

> There are two reasons:
> 
> a) Torsens are expensive mechanical devices.  Failure in the 
> field means replacement - they cannot be rebuilt except by the 
> factory.
> 
> b) Many aspects of vehicle performance are now electronically 
> controlled. An electronic device can be integrated much more 
> easily.

Umm, I thought the whole Haldex thing was just a way to put 
"quattro" (synchro, really) in the smaller cars that won't take 
longitudinal engines--an evolution of the VC synchro system 
essentially. The Torsen is still alive and well, but I've been 
wondering if Audi will ever evolve EDL into a cross-axle system. 
It seems to me the major costs would be in the development of 
the software. Three open diffs and a few more chips would be 
very cost effective, methinks.

Eric Renneisen
'90 CQ 20V  -  my 'racing-iron'  ;^)
Chattanooga, TN