Best 'Driver's' audi ever made?
Discussion
marcosgt said:
The original Quattro understeers like a bus in road (and even rally) trim!
Have you ever actually driven one? "Understeering like a bus" is not a trait I recognise and I drive mine quite a bit. What are you comparing it with?edited to add
That said, the new A4 Tdi I drive daily is better than the urQuattro in just about every regard except shape, so the urQuattro would not be IMO the best drivers Audi ever built. It probably was until the late '90s or something, whatever.
Edited by Yertis on Tuesday 28th March 17:03
Yertis said:
Have you ever actually driven one? "Understeering like a bus" is not a trait I recognise and I drive mine quite a bit. What are you comparing it with?
edited to add
That said, the new A4 Tdi I drive daily is better than the urQuattro in just about every regard except shape, so the urQuattro would not be IMO the best drivers Audi ever built. It probably was until the late '90s or something, whatever.
No, I'll admit I've not driven one, but EVERY review and report I've ever read (contemporary to date) mentions understeer. edited to add
That said, the new A4 Tdi I drive daily is better than the urQuattro in just about every regard except shape, so the urQuattro would not be IMO the best drivers Audi ever built. It probably was until the late '90s or something, whatever.
Sure the quatrro system alleviates the non-quattro's plough on regardless stance (I have driven one of those), but you can't hang that much in front of the front axle and expect neutral handling.
'Like a bus' was a little OTT, but I think people's views are more than a little rose-tinted about the Quattro (not yours by the sound of it though) and cars of that era, but especially the Quattro which has attained mythical status.
I'm sure a Quattro is great fun, don't get me wrong on that, but I don't see how it can compare, say, to the R8 in terms of "Best Driver's Audi" ever, unless it's in terms of smiles
M.
Edited by marcosgt on Wednesday 29th March 09:16
I would imagine it would be an r8
I have had quattros from 1989 through to current model - they got better from 2008 onwards when the front rear balance was adjusted
Anything using an audi 80 chassis will suffer badly from understeer - the engine was so far out the front on the 5 cylinder models ( S1 quattro, audi90, S2, RS2) that the radiator couldnt be put at the front of the car it had to go alongside the engine!!
I have had quattros from 1989 through to current model - they got better from 2008 onwards when the front rear balance was adjusted
Anything using an audi 80 chassis will suffer badly from understeer - the engine was so far out the front on the 5 cylinder models ( S1 quattro, audi90, S2, RS2) that the radiator couldnt be put at the front of the car it had to go alongside the engine!!
Having not driven either a URquattro or an R8, logic suggests the R8 is far superior. Otherwise nigh on 40 years of development counts for nothing.
I can and do appreciate old vehicles (I have old Motorbikes) and obviously any opinion is subjective but to suggest they are in any way as good or better (other than aesthetics) than a modern equivalent is a rose-tinted view.
I can and do appreciate old vehicles (I have old Motorbikes) and obviously any opinion is subjective but to suggest they are in any way as good or better (other than aesthetics) than a modern equivalent is a rose-tinted view.
hman said:
I would imagine it would be an r8
I have had quattros from 1989 through to current model - they got better from 2008 onwards when the front rear balance was adjusted
Anything using an audi 80 chassis will suffer badly from understeer - the engine was so far out the front on the 5 cylinder models ( S1 quattro, audi90, S2, RS2) that the radiator couldnt be put at the front of the car it had to go alongside the engine!!
But they still put a radiator (aux) in front of the engine on the UR Quattro and the S2/RS2I have had quattros from 1989 through to current model - they got better from 2008 onwards when the front rear balance was adjusted
Anything using an audi 80 chassis will suffer badly from understeer - the engine was so far out the front on the 5 cylinder models ( S1 quattro, audi90, S2, RS2) that the radiator couldnt be put at the front of the car it had to go alongside the engine!!
catso said:
Having not driven either a URquattro or an R8, logic suggests the R8 is far superior. Otherwise nigh on 40 years of development counts for nothing.
I can and do appreciate old vehicles (I have old Motorbikes) and obviously any opinion is subjective but to suggest they are in any way as good or better (other than aesthetics) than a modern equivalent is a rose-tinted view.
Could not have put it better myself.I can and do appreciate old vehicles (I have old Motorbikes) and obviously any opinion is subjective but to suggest they are in any way as good or better (other than aesthetics) than a modern equivalent is a rose-tinted view.
marcosgt said:
EVERY review and report I've ever read (contemporary to date) mentions understeer.
Sure the quatrro system alleviates the non-quattro's plough on regardless stance (I have driven one of those), but you can't hang that much in front of the front axle and expect neutral handling.
'Like a bus' was a little OTT, but I think people's views are more than a little rose-tinted about the Quattro (not yours by the sound of it though) and cars of that era, but especially the Quattro which has attained mythical status.
I'm sure a Quattro is great fun, don't get me wrong on that, but I don't see how it can compare, say, to the R8 in terms of "Best Driver's Audi" ever, unless it's in terms of smiles
M.
Like a lot of nerdy urQuattro owners, I own copies of just about every contemporary magazine that features the car and the handling was one of the things they raved about, typically described as neutral with tendency to snap into oversteer if you over-cooked it in a bend. That tendency was designed out by removal of the rear ARB early on. I'd characterise the car has having a benign understeer – if you're finding understeer a problem on the road you're probably going a bit too fast. Maybe different on the track but I wouldn't know because mine never go there (although a fair few bits in my spare parts stash have done, if you get my drift). All relative isn't it. I have to say, much as I love it, I don't find driving the Quattro instantly fun in the same way I do driving the TR6. Sure the quatrro system alleviates the non-quattro's plough on regardless stance (I have driven one of those), but you can't hang that much in front of the front axle and expect neutral handling.
'Like a bus' was a little OTT, but I think people's views are more than a little rose-tinted about the Quattro (not yours by the sound of it though) and cars of that era, but especially the Quattro which has attained mythical status.
I'm sure a Quattro is great fun, don't get me wrong on that, but I don't see how it can compare, say, to the R8 in terms of "Best Driver's Audi" ever, unless it's in terms of smiles
M.
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