Autozeitung: Audi developing new quattro drivetrain...

[roadrunner]

...with the agility of RWD configuration. Up to 100% to rear wheels (up to 60% front wheels)



source: http://www.autozeitung.de/node/380055/24?destination=

Now we are talking

[florin08]

problably a noob question but is this a mechanical system ?

[Erik]

problably a noob question but is this a mechanical system ?

Obviously mechanics has to be involived, together with electronics.

[roadrunner]

I will try to get the Autozeitung this afternoon.

But what i can identify from this pic:

"Differential mit Lammelenkupplung...Planetensatz im Getriebegehäuse" - no idea what all this is called in english

[Trebor]

I will try to get the Autozeitung this afternoon.

But what i can identify from this pic:

"Differential mit Lammelenkupplung...Planetensatz im Getriebegehäuse" - no idea what all this is called in english

Best approximation is
" Differential with Lammelenkupplung (good question some kind of clutch)… planet set in the transmission case

[RXBG]

looks like a multiplate electronic clutch with two sport differentials- front and rear. jesus christ.

if audi makes this and puts it in the r8 replacement with a dsg i will skip the current V10 and wait for this. can't be more than 4 years away.

[roadrunner]

...
if audi makes this and puts it in the r8 replacement with a dsg i will skip the current V10 and wait for this. can't be more than 4 years away.

Doubt, that the R8 successor will be the 1st one to use it. it is already RW biased.

[RXBG]

Doubt, that the R8 successor will be the 1st one to use it. it is already RW biased.

i dont mind if another audi uses it first

i think its time audi took leadership with awd again. perhaps the first will be the A7 or new A8. the system is likely over one year out, though. they have been announcing the DSG for years now and not one longitudinal engined audi has it yet.

[roadrunner]

... they have been announcing the DSG for years now and not one longitudinal engined audi has it yet.

I hope you are reffering to the US only, because in Europe, the S-tronic (=DSG) is the only auto option for the Q5, and some motor & gearbox combos for A4, A5 have it as well. Not to talk about the S4.

[RXBG]

I hope you are reffering to the US only, because in Europe, the S-tronic (=DSG) is the only auto option for the Q5, and some motor & gearbox combos for A4, A5 have it as well. Not to talk about the S4.

meant usa- you are right, some a4 models are getting it slowly over there in EU. i wasn't aware the Q5 had it!

[Damienr8]

Interesting tidits on the new drivetrain. I hope the mechanics involved are not overly complicated and result in serious costs if something is broken. Other than that, good news, im glad that something other than power increases are progressing.

[OfftheHeZie]

I'm not certain, but I think this article suggests Audi will be moving to a viscous coupling center diff method for their AWD system instead of Torsen. Just from tidbits of a weak translation. Which I believe is BULL.

~Mason

[RXBG]

viscous is what R8 has. old system. hopefully not. unless they add some trickery to avoid any agricultural behavior at low speeds.

[The Pretender]

I'm not certain, but I think this article suggests Audi will be moving to a viscous coupling center diff method for their AWD system instead of Torsen. Just from tidbits of a weak translation. Which I believe is BULL.

~Mason

Yes, in this layout (no 1) they replace the Torsen diff for a electronically regular middle differential with planetary gear and multiple disk/plate clutch.

[The Pretender]

viscous is what R8 has. old system. hopefully not. unless they add some trickery to avoid any agricultural behavior at low speeds.

Agricultural behavior. ???
like a tractor. ?

[tailpipe]

This is very interesting and I suspect very close to production readiness. Will the new A8 be the first model to incorporate it?

I don't know whether this article mentions it, but i would imagine that the length of the transmission housing is probably much shorter to enable engines to be mounted further rearwards.

(Tailpipe now puts on Nomex flame retardant suit.)

I said in a separate post a month or so back (for which I was intensely flamed) that Martin Winterkorn, Audi's previous boss and now head of the entire VAG Group, had wanted Audi to adopt rear wheel drive. He felt this was necessary to compete on equal terms with BMW and M-B. The plan was vetoed by ex-VAG head Bernd Pischestreider.

While AWD Audi's will get a 100% RWD bias as an option, I wonder what this new transmission means for non-Quattro models? Maybe it will be a flexible enough system to be used for either new RWD models (A8, A7 and A6?) and FWD models (A4 and A5?)

it's certainly going to be interesting to see how this plays out, not only for Audi but other models, including Porsche variants, eh?

[RXBG]

Agricultural behavior. ???
like a tractor. ?

yep. at low speeds it grinds and groans like a semi. not a major thing. but something that needs to be worked out in the next car.

i suspect audi engineers can take the best elements of the viscous and incorporate electronic diffs and some other advancements that could make the GTR system pale by comparison. we'll see.

[Leadfoot]

This is great news if true and will finally make Audi cars truly great driver cars instead being incredibly competent/confident cars with incredible ability but ultimately bland compared to such cars as the Cayman and M3.

I suspect that either the A8 could have such a system or is it wishful thinking to suggest the opposibility of the RS5 introducing it first.

Who knows, this might still be some years off being production ready.