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Yesterday I read on of the best test I have read
since a long time in the German magazine "sport auto"
They tested and compared AWD system. To do that they used
a mountain road with snow on it going from 2600m to 2800m
altitude. Maximum road slope was 8%
Following cars were tested:
Porsche Turbo AWD 420Hp
2 regular diffs, 1 viscous coupling, power split F5-R95 to F30-R70, traction control, ESP
Audi RS4 380Hp
2 regular diffs, center torsen, power split F50-R50 or F75-R75 to F25-R75, traction control, ESP
VW BORA V6 4Motion 204Hp
2 regular diffs, 1 Haldex, power split F100-R0 to F50-R50, traction and haldex control, ESP
BMW 330ix 231Hp
3 regular diffs, power split 36F-R64, traction control, ESP
Subaru WRX 218Hp
1 regular front diff, 2 viscous, power split F50-R50 or 0F-100R to F100-R0
Mitsubishi Charisma EVO VI 280Hp
1 front torsen looking up to 100%, 1 viscous, 1 rear locking 60%, power split like subaru.
First... both the BMW and the EVO VI suffered heavily from altitude
as power was WAY DOWN.. quote "nothing left of the 231Hp", the VW a bit less due to
the fact that it benefited from it 6 gear gearbox, power was however down as well.
No HP test was performed...
Next... they had to drive up and down the mountain road that was convered with
snow and ice using regular winter tires. ESP was switched off for the test. However
on the VW one can't fully switch off ESP which keeps interfeering with quote "fun driving".
Test driver was rally driver "Armin Schwarz"
Overall...
The Subaru finished first uphill and 2nd downhill. GOOD ABS great AWD!
The EVO VI finished first downhill... WHAT ABS??? best AWD!
The RS4 was 3rd... quote "cause of its antiquated AWD system and bad ABS"
The VW BORA did well as 4th overall... but no fun to drive awfull ABS.
The BMW was 5th... suffering from its less then ideal AWD system but great ABS.
The Porsche was last.. quote "good for a real sports car, but not a great snow car."
They ended with... in the near future it should be able to design
an AWD system using Haldex and electronics that can compete with a good
real time AWD system. LOL
Fact is: up to now nothing beats a real modern AWD system no matter how
many computers you stuff into the darn car LOL
This should be a lesson to all those out to get an AWD car for the winter...
keep your SAAB get a SUBARU for those bad weather days LOL
I hope that SAAB will use the SUABRU AWD system and not some 2nd rate crap.
Regards,
Coolknight
, Tue, 23 Jan 2001 14:40:37, Tue, 23 Jan 2001 14:44:20, Tue, 23 Jan 2001 14:40:37
, Tue, 23 Jan 2001 20:57:23, Wed, 24 Jan 2001 08:59:53
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