RE: Sad reactions to S4 drive

[Todd Phenneger <phen9461@uidaho.edu>]

Hey Great Scott,
	I'm glad I'm not alone.  I Heel and-toe all the time too.  Doesn't
EVERY person with custom pedals do that???  Oh wait, I forgot, all those
rice burners have them and probably dont even know what the term means (no
racism intended, jsut referring to ano ther thread, sorry).  But I find
that buy doing it on the street all the time not only is my driving MUCH
smoother (Hey, I can downshift while braking Smoother than most Automatics
can)  but also makes my transition to the track much more enjoyable as I
dont have to ADAPT my style, only my speed. :-)  Because of ocurse I NEVER
speed or take corners anywhere NEAR the limit on Public roads.  Especially
not in the snow. :-)
	As for left foot braking, works great to keep the turbo spooled
up.  Even works great on the Frrway when there is a guy gaining from
behind you want to play with.  Step on brake, floor car a second before
your ready.  Relase break when guys front bumper is equal to your rear and
watch his face as you rocket past him because you are at 1.8 bar already.    
	I've never tried your 3-pedal launch idea but that may be VERY
handy at the Auto-Cross track.  I can get a good launch in a 5ktq with
very little lag but it requires about 5k RPM and a firm (Not Sidestepping,
I hate the sound that movement makes) but a firm drop or release of the
clutch works well but I want to try your friction melting (melting the
clutch I mean) method.  Same Idea as a Dragster on the Brake and Gas at
the lights with the RPM's jsut below where the stall ocnverter kicks in.
Light goes Green press Accelerator and relase brake and car takes off like
a rocket.  
	As for the whole lag thing, my thoughs are, whoever wrote this to
begin with, jsut get the S4 (I think I saw a post where you said you
would) and get used to it.  Even with a turbo you can still learn how much
power you get with the throttle open jsut a bit.  In San Francisco traffic
in my friends modded 5ktq I was a mess.  On hills I was NO BOOST, FULL
BOOST, SHIFT, but when he drove it was very smooth.  I drove mostly
because I knew where to go (jsut no well enough to TELL someone) but
Iafter a while I got used to modulating and knowing if I jsut accelerate
at 1/2 throttle the power owuld be there still but I knew how much I owuld
get, or I could go WOT untill just before the Turbo kicked in and then
start releasing as the turbo came on.  Sort of Fun really.  Hop-ed in my
other friends 200 with a k24 in Monterey and found the job MUCH easier.
It came on so much sooner and smoother that it made easy work of it.  I
spose the S4 should be even better with its twin small turbo's.  
	Jeesh, hope I covered everything so you guys dont have to hear
from me again.
	L8R
	Todd


-------------------
Peter Berrevoets writes:

> For spirited street driving - and directed towards Avrams "two stage
> lag" and "too much... too little" power on acceleration comments 
> - heel and toe shifting is not applicable

Why not?  I heel-and-toe virtually every downshift, on street or track,
whether the driving is "spirited" or not.  

In particular, I found this to be a *very* effective technique on
turbocharged cars, for the reasons Phil says (for me, I used to keep all
three pedals about halfway down, and then when releasing the clutch
fully the turbo was completely spooled up).

--------------

	Todd Phenneger
SOLD*	1985 4000 quattro / silver / daily driver
	1983 ur-q / black / fixing it up
	1984 4000 quattro / modified/ awaiting Turbo Transplant.
	1987 4000 quattro / Saphire Metallic Blue/ Girlfriend's
	1996 A6q / Volcano / Dads Car
   *****1985 5kt / PARTING OUT!