German Car Zone

Actually the marketing term Torque Vectoring was coined by Audi. BMW call it Dynamic Drive (Eni, do I recall correctly?)

Torque Vectoring involves the use of a sophisticated electro-mechanical differential in the rear axle to reduce the understeer prone tendencies of AWD. As I understand, BMW will even employ Dynamic Drive in two-wheel drive cars also...

And, whilst the idea of torque vectoring does represent the next level in AWD dynamics, we haven't scratched the surface of what, first and foremost, makes a mechanically superior AWD layout (and under what conditions). If the mechanicals aren't right then clever diff technology becomes far less effective.

martinbo, so you are saying audi's quattro is mechinically superior to most of the other awd offerings out there?

i am a little confused too as why quattro is considered legandary, i thought systems from mitsubishi evo and subaru impreza are both on par with if not exceeding quattro?

what makes an awd system a good one, is it its weight, reaction speed or...?
please enlighten me.

As proven by the Peugeot 206 WRC, hydraulic-electronic active differentials is the most effective solution particularilly if paired with hydraulic-electronic active anti-roll.

Well you see YoUhimhER, you have to take things with a pinch of salt as Martin is a traditionalist in the lines of:
- keep it simple/ simple is better
- add lightness
- fancy electronics = costs + complexity + reliability issues (maybe + weight issues too)
- overall-ness//multi purposeful/ is better (for most) than thoroughbred/specialized


However as proven by fancy active AWD and/or active/semi-active suspensions and Co. in WRC, F1 ... an Evo will kick the s*** out of an average quattro (torsen or haldex, and no the R8 is no average quattro).

The germans have only "known" so far about the central differential torque vectoring (if they even bothered), now with BMW's dynamic AWD the've learned about rear yaw torque vectoring, 2 decades from now maybe they'll learn about front yaw torque vectoring.

Martin no offence , and correct me if I'm wrong but you do seem like that to me.

^ None taken and nicely summed up.