Quote:
Originally Posted by Yannis  Audi's philisophy is a neutral car that will understeer at the limit of traction.
BMW prefers a nutral car that will either understeer or oversteer (if the driver wishes that) at the limit (always talking about ESP off).
Because Audis are either FWD or AWD and because of the way they are tuned , oversteer and powerslides are almost impossible but on the other hand the stability and vehicle dynamics can help the unexperienced driver and correct his mistakes. BMWs on the other hand while usually very safe , when the ESP is off require a skilled driver otherwise there is more danger of an accident. |
Exactly.
And there lies the core difference between Audi & BMW: car behavior at the limit. Audi will understeer but stay glued to the road - very secure driving feeling. While BMW will usually oversteer due its precise steering - even start to slide in some cases. And this is the notorious "fun to drive" feeling associated with BMW (core BMW promise).
And most Audi customers want that secure driving feeling, while BMW drivers (most of them) want the car that is fun to drive (wild animal that needs to be tamed & controlled by driver).
As you see: completely opposite requests. So do not expect BMW to ride like Audi & vice versa - at the limits. While in every day driving (eg city roads & highways) there is no much difference. Both brands deliver dynamic cars with good performance, comfort & luxury. So the core difference is design (incl. materials), brand image & that particular difference of car behavior at the limit. You can also include MB, Lexus & Infiniti in this equation. Same case.