RE: 2021 Audi RS3 gets drift mode, will do 180mph
Discussion
Hmmmm it took them 5 years to respond to the Focus RS and possibly missed the point if they haven't applied overspeed to the rear axle. I think the point is also missed by many here, "drift" mode was/is just a marketing by product at an attempt to balance out the under steer inherent in a powerful front drive car.
The Focus RS does it great at lower/legal speeds without drifting as the overspeed and torque vectoring power is used to gyrate the car about the apex, there by removing the sensation of understeer. Made it a unique drive and much more enjoyable. Even the "can do no wrong" GR Yaris doesn't/can't do it.
The new RS3 looks to be too much too late. Or perhaps it will have a finely balance engaging chassis that reward with lots of feedback at sensible speeds, though I suspect more axe than scalpel, so maybe not.
The Focus RS does it great at lower/legal speeds without drifting as the overspeed and torque vectoring power is used to gyrate the car about the apex, there by removing the sensation of understeer. Made it a unique drive and much more enjoyable. Even the "can do no wrong" GR Yaris doesn't/can't do it.
The new RS3 looks to be too much too late. Or perhaps it will have a finely balance engaging chassis that reward with lots of feedback at sensible speeds, though I suspect more axe than scalpel, so maybe not.
Thornaby said:
Nonsense. The Mk1 Focus RS was a 2 litre/200bhp car which compared squarely against the Audi S3, which was out about 2 years before the Focus. The focus was panned at the time for not being 4wd and having massive torque steer
Who said anything about the Mk1 ? I referring to the Mk3 as it was released 5 years ago jamieduff1981 said:
Arsecati said:
You're able to fit your bikes in the back of that ok? And which windows do your dogs stick their heads out of? Strapping the kids in to the child seats not a pain in the @r$e no?
This is the path to buying cars which are crap at everything PH User said:
I think the point is that they are very different sorts of cars.
I agree, very much so. Still, the RS3 is incredibly niche if examined under that lense. There are lots of competing requirements on the table now with scenarios of dirty bikes, kids and slobbering dogs. How many people are honestly going to spend £60k on one hatchback and then subject it to all that? Forget the Mustang - £60k would buy two very nice cars that covered the Venn diagram far, far better between them. Mustang/young M3 or RS4/whatever you want really and you'd still have £20k left over for a hatchback you'd be more inclined to cart bikes/babies/dogs around in.The RS3 needs someone with enough money for a couple of good cars but determined to sink it all into one hatchback on the pretence that they're going to squeeze a manky bicycle in the back, or two children, or a dog, but it's not big enough for children and a dog.
fantheman80 said:
Feck me, is this really an enthusiasts site?! In a time of a relentless stampede of electric soulless floats, the release of a 400 bhp 5 cylinder ice car gets all the grumps out. ...
It's an interesting engine in otherwise hopelessly dreary automatic hatchback with computer controlled 4wd... feel free to be excited about it for both of us! PH User said:
I think the point is that they are very different sorts of cars.
Well, yeah, but equally I'd say most RS3 buyers are younger men in cities who have done alright for themselves.That demographic would probably not have any difficulty with Mustang ownership, but the RS3 has more clout in those social circles.
HazzaT said:
Well, yeah, but equally I'd say most RS3 buyers are younger men in cities who have done alright for themselves.
That demographic would probably not have any difficulty with Mustang ownership, but the RS3 has more clout in those social circles.
My neighbour's wife has one. She calls it "the racecar". That demographic would probably not have any difficulty with Mustang ownership, but the RS3 has more clout in those social circles.
fblm said:
fantheman80 said:
Feck me, is this really an enthusiasts site?! In a time of a relentless stampede of electric soulless floats, the release of a 400 bhp 5 cylinder ice car gets all the grumps out. ...
It's an interesting engine in otherwise hopelessly dreary automatic hatchback with computer controlled 4wd... feel free to be excited about it for both of us! 
Max_Torque said:
seriously, who writes this absolute b*ll*cks?? Does anyone believe this marketing crap, anyone?
and it's worth noting that this car won't actually oversteer
Don't get me wrong, you can make it oversteer by arriving at a bend about 50% too fast, and giving it the most almightly bung on the way in, and then having about 3 Heathrow runway widths of clear tarmac to gather it all back up again, sure, but on the road, er nope. It's got far to much mass up front, and unless it can also disconnect it's front axle (hint: it can't) then all it'll do is push the front out.
To drift, remember, you need to OVERSPEED the rear axle, not overtorque it......
Good demo of those physics here:
Autocar_will_it_drift_golfR
Because it can't overspeed the rear axle, it cannot continuously generate more tyre slip at the rear, hence the tyre lateral performance is simlpy split via the mass distribution, and hence, with the engine transversly upfront, it'll just push the nose out. You'll note in that video, when he juuuust manages to introduce some weight transfer momentum oversteer in FIRST ie at trailing throttle, then the "drift" system can juuust manage to keep the rear sliding for a few seconds, but really as soon as net positive torque is applied, the front and rear slip ratios equalise and the car comes out of the drift because there is no longer excess slip only at the rear
The marketing is extremely misleading to the majority of buyers, that's for sure. Once again, it's almost certain to be a case of a brilliant engine without the chassis to match. Still, street level criminals will love ragging these through town centres like absolute knobs...right up until the tyres let go and it fires them through the frontage of the local bookmakers.and it's worth noting that this car won't actually oversteer
Don't get me wrong, you can make it oversteer by arriving at a bend about 50% too fast, and giving it the most almightly bung on the way in, and then having about 3 Heathrow runway widths of clear tarmac to gather it all back up again, sure, but on the road, er nope. It's got far to much mass up front, and unless it can also disconnect it's front axle (hint: it can't) then all it'll do is push the front out.
To drift, remember, you need to OVERSPEED the rear axle, not overtorque it......
Good demo of those physics here:
Autocar_will_it_drift_golfR
Because it can't overspeed the rear axle, it cannot continuously generate more tyre slip at the rear, hence the tyre lateral performance is simlpy split via the mass distribution, and hence, with the engine transversly upfront, it'll just push the nose out. You'll note in that video, when he juuuust manages to introduce some weight transfer momentum oversteer in FIRST ie at trailing throttle, then the "drift" system can juuust manage to keep the rear sliding for a few seconds, but really as soon as net positive torque is applied, the front and rear slip ratios equalise and the car comes out of the drift because there is no longer excess slip only at the rear
Edited by Max_Torque on Tuesday 22 June 12:38
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