Are Audis (the big A6s, A8s etc.) front, RWD or 4WD?

Only asking as was driving behind a couple today and wondered about future (we're talking 10 years!) donor possibilities.

Cheers,
James

FWD / 4WD (quattro).

Adam

And transverse.

Adam

quote:

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Originally posted by phelpsa
And transverse.

Adam

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The A6 is transverse.

Adam

And A4.

http://auto.consumerguide.com/auto/used/reviews/full/index.cfm/id/2293

Your right about the A8 though, longitudinal FWD or 4WD, probably has a nice transaxle.

Adam

[Edited on 22/7/04 by phelpsa]

quote:

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Originally posted by phelpsa
http://auto.consumerguide.com/auto/used/reviews/full/index.cfm/id/2293

Your right about the A8 though, longitudinal FWD or 4WD, probably has a nice transaxle.

Adam

[Edited on 22/7/04 by phelpsa]

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Is this the new model? On that site it derinately says tranverse. I suppose they might be wrong.

Adam

[Edited on 22/7/04 by phelpsa]

They are FWD transverse and inline and they are 4WD with either transverse and inline engines.

My Passat has an Audi drivetrain with an inline engine and permanent 4WD . Transverse engined cars have part time 4WD through a haldex clutch.

The current A6 is most definitely in line in all flavours of engine and drivetrain - it's mechanically identical to my passat.

[Edited on 22/7/04 by zilspeed]

So possibilities for 4.2lt V8 donors in the future then?

James

EDIT: Assuming the odd one comes in a manual!

[Edited on 22/7/04 by James]

[Edited on 22/7/04 by James]

OK, so all A2's and any derivation of a Volkwagen Golf (TT coupe/A3) are transverse FWD or 4WD with the Haldex clutch.

The remainder: A4->A8 are inlines.

I was thinking it doesn't make sense being transverse as the Passat is an A4 and it'd be a real pain to house a W12 transversly c/w end mounted gearbox.

Fair summary?

Neil.

quote:

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Originally posted by James
So possibilities for 4.2lt V8 donors in the future then?

James

EDIT: Assuming the odd one comes in a manual!

[Edited on 22/7/04 by James]

[Edited on 22/7/04 by James]

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The A4 is golf based (transverse), A6 is passat based. The passat diesel 1.9 we had as a hire car was transverse!?

Adam

quote:

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Originally posted by phelpsa
The A4 is golf based (transverse), A6 is passat based. The passat diesel 1.9 we had as a hire car was transverse!?

Adam

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This chows a 2002 transverse engined passat:

http://www.new-cars.com/2002/vw/volkswagen-passat-wagon-photos.html

And this shows an inline engined passat:

http://www.stealthtdi.com/Passat.html

Confusing eh!

Adam

[Edited on 22/7/04 by phelpsa]

Can I clear the confusion (work in VAG bodyshop!). Any of the VW derived Audi's are transverse, ie the A2(Polo) and A3 and TT(both golfs), The A4, A6 A8 are longditudinal with a transaxle, or quattro transfer box. The suspension systems are so complex, I cannot see them being popular, the S4 V8 in particular has more sensors on the suspension than a space shuttle has in total!

quote:

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Originally posted by phelpsa
This chows a 2002 transverse engined passat:

http://www.new-cars.com/2002/vw/volkswagen-passat-wagon-photos.html

And this shows an inline engined passat:

http://www.stealthtdi.com/Passat.html

Confusing eh!

Adam

[Edited on 22/7/04 by phelpsa]

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i could never understand why the golf 4motion was transverse, doesnt seem like the best way to organise 4wd.

quote:

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Originally posted by JoelP
i could never understand why the golf 4motion was transverse, doesnt seem like the best way to organise 4wd.

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Ahh, I see, thats what made me confused, sorry if I mislead anyone (I supose the original information was misleading). When zilspeed said that the A6 was a passat underneath I thought it was transverse because of that picture.

Adam

Does'nt the new MK thingy use an audi engine and transaxle?

yep, thats an engine from audi 80 and 100. longtitudinal FWD back then.

Understeer and inline engines.

Mine has the inline engine hanging right out the front - and it's a diesel into the bargain. So - it weighs tons.

Fortunately, mine also has the permanent 4wd version of 4motion. Audi know it as Quattro IV.
Mine will ultimately understeer - no surprise there - but it takes a huge amount of persuasion to do so. I'm up to just over 18000 miles now and will be needing a set of tyres in the next 6 weeks / 2 months and for the first time ever, all 4 tyres have almost identical wear.
I do give them a hard time though :-)

This is really going to get complicated.

The 4 wheel drive systems were divided into two section, quattro and syncro, basically quattro was audi and syncro VW. Quattro for performance, and syncro for ploughing fields.

When the two brands combined technologies, but separated their dealerships, the differences became very blurred. The Passat, A4, Skoda Octavia are basically the same car, but the Passat and Octavia used Golf derived mechanicals (transverse) and the A4 carried on with the in line engines.

The Golf 4motion and the TT (same floor pan) had the same system, based on the old Golf syncro system which is transverse. The T2 transporter also had the syncro system but not related to the front engined system. The T4 transporter also had a syncro system which was not related to anything.

In sumary there are more 4x4 sytems than you can shake a stick at, some related some not, some transverse, some in line, some rear engined - which is fine as long as you dont have order parts for tha damn things like I have to!

Wish I hadn't started this, it always gives me a headache, why can't they just do one system for each floorpan?

German efficiency? B0ll0cks

Yours - now going for a lie down

Mark

quote:

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Originally posted by James
So possibilities for 4.2lt V8 donors in the future then?

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Would this one do as a donor?
Rescued attachment BustedS4.jpg

How could you take that apart. I wouldn't want to drive it incase I crashed it (the current owner obviously didn't take that much care)

Adam

Mark, you really know you VAG stuff!! I can confirm that the A4 and Passat are virtually identical underneath. I have just changed jobs and gave up my 130bhp TDi Passat Estate and got an Audi A4 130bhp TDi. Underneath the badge same car.

I used to have a Audi 80 Sport, and that had the inline engine way out front, with a very long bonnet. IIRC it was the same engine as the Golf GTi.

A breakers near here had a pair of the new Golf R32's in last month. Damaged repairable for £1,500 each. Was tempted for a while but was lost as to what to do with all that power and which gearbox to mate it too.

As far as I can tell VAG are getting a bit like Henry in that the same parts show up in different configurations in different cars.

Does indeed bode well for the future of donors.

quote:

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Originally posted by phelpsa
How could you take that apart. I wouldn't want to drive it incase I crashed it (the current owner obviously didn't take that much care)

Adam

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quote:

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A breakers near here had a pair of the new Golf R32's in last month. Damaged repairable for £1,500 each. Was tempted for a while but was lost as to what to do with all that power and which gearbox to mate it too.

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I'm not surprised at R32's in the breakers, if current trends continue, 75% of them will be in the breakers within the first 3 years of their life.

I like to think I can drive quickly and keep the car nice and clean through the corners. The R32 is an absolute PIG. The tyres are too wide for the weight of the car, the power is to great for the width of the tyres. Just about manageable in the dry, but in the wet - put a brick under the throttle pedal

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nicklondon - 24/7/04 at 07:53 PM

so thats why insurance costs so much.how long will the reshell take Mark?

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ned - 26/7/04 at 08:43 AM

quote:

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Originally posted by Mark Allanson
This is really going to get complicated.

The Passat, A4, Skoda Octavia are basically the same car, but the Passat and Octavia used Golf derived mechanicals (transverse) and the A4 carried on with the in line engines.

German efficiency? B0ll0cks

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Mark,

I thought the octavia was the same as the bora/golf/beetle/tt/a3/leon

The Skoda superb was I thought the same as the a4/passat or was it based on the a6 floorpan?!

Ned.

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phelpsa - 26/7/04 at 10:09 AM

Absolutely right ned.

The Fabia is then based on the polo (as is the Seat Ibiza).

These germans make everything so complicated.

Adam

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Jumpy Guy - 26/7/04 at 11:01 AM

in the market for a new company car, and looked at this.. any experience?
looking at the Diesel Cupra - 150 bhp- 235 lb ft ...

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phelpsa - 26/7/04 at 11:28 AM

Its an old shape golf Tdi PD GT underneath.

Adam

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mackie - 26/7/04 at 11:38 AM

quote:

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Originally posted by Mark Allanson


I'm not surprised at R32's in the breakers, if current trends continue, 75% of them will be in the breakers within the first 3 years of their life.

I like to think I can drive quickly and keep the car nice and clean through the corners. The R32 is an absolute PIG. The tyres are too wide for the weight of the car, the power is to great for the width of the tyres. Just about manageable in the dry, but in the wet - put a brick under the throttle pedal

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Interesting since it's got very good reviews from various mags. Plus is lardy for a hot hatch and has tyres no bigger than anything else comparable. And it has 4wd :/
I'd hate to think what you'd make of a 147 GTA or a Focus RS (bordering on dangerous on bumpy b-roads apparently)

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Mark Allanson - 26/7/04 at 06:07 PM

Nick, a shell change will take about 130 hours

Mackie, I have driven the GTA, but not the focus, the GTA is outrageous, an absolute monster, but it does not pretend to be the slightest bit civillised, the golf does. The GTA will not catch you unawares, its trying to catch you out all the time! Concentrate or die! the golf will suddenly bite you without warning, the steering is very dead and has an overcentring feel, you get self uncentring after about 25° of wheel travel! Must try moving the brackets!

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