Quote:
Originally Posted by Leaker
EXACTLY. XI is inclement weather aid while Quattro is a performance tool.
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I'm sure quattro's wiz bang torsen diff etc. and the wiz bang systems on EVOs et al. are well and good and add more traction, but the simple matter is that we're just a suspended mass goin' down the road on 4 tires, and what happens at the contact patch is what matters. If you understand what a friction circle is (aka traction circle - I'll leave it up to you to google those terms), you will undeniably admit that ~any~ AWD is a performance system, and not just a safety system, regardless if the "circle" is large in the case of a dry racetrack, or small as in the case of a frozen over street. Do you think Audi (see video above) had success against their competition (who, uh, I sincerely doubt had open differentials) just on their wiz bang diffs in AWD systems, or do you think just the fact of being AWD had something to do with their domination?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Doctor T
I hate to say it, but it's people who think that they are safer in AWD vehicles in winter that usually get into accidents. Simple law of inertia states that it takes more effort to stop and/or change directions in heavier vehicles.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pits200
Hmm, not sure if this is totally correct.
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It is totally correct, it's just not the total picture, because we go foward and turn as well as stop. Again look at the traction circle. In straight line braking or while turning and braking (trail braking) or while turning and coasting, AWD buys you nothing, of course. In fact it's a detriment due to its extra mass. All cars have 4 wheel braking. (Someone tell that to those idiots who rolled over their 4x4/AWD on the highway on a snowy night.) It's while driving forward (accelerating) in straight line or while turning that AWD has an advantage over RWD/FWD because (looking at traction circle) some turning traction is gained because some of the acceleration traction has been "moved" to the other side of the car. Here's the nitty gritty though, due to higher slip angles inherent when turning the front wheels, more turning traction is needed up front than rears, so you can't move as much torque as you would like up front.