Audi announced today that it has developed a new performance differential for its quattro all-wheel drive that will be available next year. The new system is able to send the engine’s power independently between the rear wheels, improving traction over the current quattro AWD. Audi claims the new setup virtually eliminates the understeer often associated with its cars.
The new system works by analyzing acceleration, yaw angle and speed to identify where traction is lost. Once slippage is detected, the system can instantly route power to the individual rear wheel with the most traction in less that 100 milliseconds. The new differential features a multi-plate clutch which is activated by an electro-hydraulic actuator.
Drivers can select from three modes on the new system; comfort–which focuses on stability, auto–which provides a balance between stability and handling, and dynamic–the purest handling mode.
