Quattro Tested - xDrive video busted

Audi SQ5 tested with only one wheel 'grounded'. As it should, Audi's Quattro permanent AWD system prevails on ramp test! Proper explanation and testing.

[zalew]

I'm honestly impressed how in 1:30 this gentleman would help to stop the car by holding the door handle. Never underestimated strength of a human! :D

[GraemeSkinner]

Well that's 4mins 45 seconds of my life I am never getting back.

[PeterEurope]

Very useful at Walmart 's car park.

[masonlaurent]

Thank god Audi’s AWD system is like this it’s perfect for my driveway that has rollers that perfectly align with my wheels

[FisheeC]

Here's the point everyone seems to be missing.
NONE of this would be an issue if manufacturers used locking or limited slip differentials - front, centre, and rear.

The only reason these tests are performed, and competing systems compared to one another is because they are all compromised approaches to AWD. They all use electronically controlled brakes and other systems to mimic the function of side to side and front to rear lock-up when slip is detected. These tests are really a comparison of which system is compromised least.

Hence, all of these traction aiding systems designed to mimic the function of proper LSDs will never function as well as proper LSDs.

Why don't manufacturers use LSDs you ask? Cost-benefit is the answer.
For 99.9% of drivers and driving situations, the electronically controlled, open differential AWD systems are more than adequate.
Despite their fancy Audi and BMW nameplates and sophisticated marketing departments, Audi and BMW are run by bean counters. They wouldn't be able to sell you an LSD based system at an additional cost (despite the additional cost to produce), since the additional marginal benefit (given real world scenarios) would likely go completely unnoticed by the average driver. The result? Sell what works most of the time and costs the least to produce and maintain.

If I told you that you could buy a car that would meet your traction needs 99.9% of the time, or that you could buy the exact same car and this one would meet your traction needs 100% of the time, but this car is $4000 more expensive... would you pony up the difference?

Anyone looking at getting themselves into situations on a frequent basis where only one wheel has traction, should NOT be looking into buying anything from Audi or BMW - rather, should be looking at a G class, Unimog, Jeep with lockers, a Range Rover, pickup with optional lockers, etc.

[johannesebster]

oh my god nobody needs those artificial test scencarios, just go drive a quattro on a snowy day once and you'll see it just fucking works...I am sure xDrive does too. The thing I find more appealing about Quattro is that it's a fully mechanical system, but that's just something that makes me 'feel' better while driving, xDrive probably works just as good in terms of traction and hill climbing. But on the other hand, driving expensive cars actually is a lot about emotions and feeling, isn't it?

[johnsmith-gtpo]

SUBARU with winter tires all the way, but i do love inside of AUDI.

[ISB]

I've never been in a situation where I needed that type of technology and I've been driving for 20 years.

[ramivalencia]

Very, very impressive. I have never owned an AWD vehicle since I live in southern California, but I can see myself getting a crossover with this type of traction control in the future. In any case, I really liked this video.

[hoplophobiadoc]

I see the well placed missing rollers in the back wheels to keep it at a point where rocking it will catch the front traction.

[MrTimstaaa]

They should do the subaru test on this and then we'll see how good it really is.

[soundseeker]

I really thought he was going to run off the end on that last run! :-o

[rlaci]

anyone noticed that the slope was much higher on the original video and way smaller on all the busting videos?

[brianmccauley]

The Q5 range (including the SQ5 shown here) do not use the crown gear center dif like the RS 5. It uses the same torsen center diff the rest of the quattro cars do (not A3, TT, R8). the S4, S5, A8 and S6/7 have the torque vectoring rear diff option but the SQ5 does not.

[TheBobbe]

quattro is one of the worlds best 4wd systems! The xdrive system from BMW and also the 4matic from Mercedes can't reach this level. I'm driving a 30 years old audi 100 (us version 5000) with the inline 5 engine and quattro of course! this car is unstoppable in mud and deep snow

[RobertLeBlancPhoto]

I concur. The only time I've ever been stuck in my 2015 Forester XT was when I was high centered in deep snow and all four wheels lost traction. A few days later, I got Nokian winter tires and went back to that same spot and got out easily.

[Hinchya]

EDL - English Defence League, how will they help?

[radugeorge]

Hi,
Best audi quattro test on rollers ever!!

[dieselmutt]

That last demo was Cool! I always thought that xDrive video was biased. This video lays the reality right out there to see.

[nathanoller]

My Jeep was equipped to do this same ability all the way back in 2002. Has the ability to distribute torque to an individual tire to maintain traction.