2001 Quattro Challenge pics and thoughts... (warning: lots of pics)
09-09-2001, 05:31 PM
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2001 Quattro Challenge pics and thoughts... (warning: lots of pics)
Forecast was cloudy and rain for saturday but turned out to be sunny and perfect all day. A little hot but who cares when you're having so much fun.
Registration/Technical Inspection: techs jacked up the car as you pulled up in the tent and inflated the tires to your specs and torqued the lugs to your specs. I went with 41 psi front and back, 89.0423 ft/lbs on the lugs.
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/20243/quattrochallenge01.jpg">
On to breakfast... hey what's this in the lobby driveway? A 5-speed manual 3.0 quattro! (US version will be 6-speed) After finally seeing one in person, I'm not exactly in love with it but it does look pretty sharp. Wish the lowers were painted.
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/20243/quattrochallenge05.jpg">
There were about 100 cars present, divided in four groups of 25 or so in order to do the 4 driving rotations. I was in the red group and there was an AoA representative amongst us chatting and gathering information from all the participants.
First event: Speed Laps
a group of 3 plus an professional driver hop in one of Audi's factory cars and tear up a mini-course of cones then hop on the oval to get some speed. Each participant had their turn to give Audi's cars a flogging under instruction. In the end, the pros take the wheel to show us how it's done. I got into a 2.7T 6-speed because I brought a friend who I wanted to familiarize himself with the clutch before I let him flog my car. Other cars available were an A4 2.8, Allroad tip, A6 4.2 tip, S4 6-speed, and a beautiful black S8. Truly, the adrenaline rush of the day. It's not often I get to run around the banked oval with tires screaming and smoking to the limits of their adhesion, not to mention really attacking the mini-course on someone else's car with people in the backseat also wearing helmets egging me on.
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/20243/quattrochallenge02.jpg">
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/20243/quattrochallenge03.jpg">
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/20243/quattrochallenge04.jpg">
Second event: Wet Handling Course
A few turns on a soaked course with puddles for that dramatic splash effect. During registration, email addy's were taken so that pics of our runs through the puddles can be sent in a week. Clean car got muddy. Not to worry... Eagle 1 was there to wash my car, quick detail, wax my wheels, and even clean my leather while others ran the course. Ahhh, it's nice to be the demo guinea pig.
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/20243/quattrochallenge07.jpg">
Third event: Accident Avoidance, skid control
Dammit! More puddles?!? and I just got a car wash. This exercise proved just how difficult it is to induce oversteer in these cars without using the p-brake. Took out some cones too. Does the fun ever stop? of course not.
In between runs, the sideshow was the 2002 A4 3.0 quattro 5-speed manual test drive (german model, US version will be a 6-speed) My impressions: nice denim blue color, comfy seats, body roll kept in check, shifter is supa-smooth but still has some long throws, steering ratio is still not as quick as I expected, clutch angagement is now lower than older A4. Hopefully, US version will have a tighter steering ratio.
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/20243/quattrochallenge17.jpg">
So you're saying I'm not allowed to squeal the tires? Now why the hell not?
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/20243/quattrochallenge18.jpg">
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/20243/quattrochallenge19.jpg">
Fourth event: Timed autocross
Small course but fun nonetheless. 4 runs for each car but I gave 2 of my runs to my guest.
Best time of the day was rob fox's 16:49. My best of 2 runs was 17:27. Wished I was more selfish and didn't give my other 2 runs away. I ran SP5000 all-seasons and they held their own in the small course but could not hold on as much as I would've liked on the tight 180+ degree decreasing radius turn. Here's a kick to the stomach... my guest who has never driven an audi until now (currently drives a civic) proceeded to roast my clutch on the launch and beat my best run by .02 seconds. Bastard. He felt bad about my clutch and drinks were on him the rest of the night.
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/20243/quattrochallenge24.jpg">
the course
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/20243/quattrochallenge25.jpg">
The dinner at the Field museum:
3 carving tables with good food, an umpa band, crazy audi freaks milling about looking at prehistoric exhibits, and best of all a top-shelf open bar. It was a shame nobody was really taking advantage of it since everyone pulled in in their audis.
Thank you AoA. I had a great time!
Registration/Technical Inspection: techs jacked up the car as you pulled up in the tent and inflated the tires to your specs and torqued the lugs to your specs. I went with 41 psi front and back, 89.0423 ft/lbs on the lugs.
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/20243/quattrochallenge01.jpg">
On to breakfast... hey what's this in the lobby driveway? A 5-speed manual 3.0 quattro! (US version will be 6-speed) After finally seeing one in person, I'm not exactly in love with it but it does look pretty sharp. Wish the lowers were painted.
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/20243/quattrochallenge05.jpg">
There were about 100 cars present, divided in four groups of 25 or so in order to do the 4 driving rotations. I was in the red group and there was an AoA representative amongst us chatting and gathering information from all the participants.
First event: Speed Laps
a group of 3 plus an professional driver hop in one of Audi's factory cars and tear up a mini-course of cones then hop on the oval to get some speed. Each participant had their turn to give Audi's cars a flogging under instruction. In the end, the pros take the wheel to show us how it's done. I got into a 2.7T 6-speed because I brought a friend who I wanted to familiarize himself with the clutch before I let him flog my car. Other cars available were an A4 2.8, Allroad tip, A6 4.2 tip, S4 6-speed, and a beautiful black S8. Truly, the adrenaline rush of the day. It's not often I get to run around the banked oval with tires screaming and smoking to the limits of their adhesion, not to mention really attacking the mini-course on someone else's car with people in the backseat also wearing helmets egging me on.
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/20243/quattrochallenge02.jpg">
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/20243/quattrochallenge03.jpg">
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/20243/quattrochallenge04.jpg">
Second event: Wet Handling Course
A few turns on a soaked course with puddles for that dramatic splash effect. During registration, email addy's were taken so that pics of our runs through the puddles can be sent in a week. Clean car got muddy. Not to worry... Eagle 1 was there to wash my car, quick detail, wax my wheels, and even clean my leather while others ran the course. Ahhh, it's nice to be the demo guinea pig.
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/20243/quattrochallenge07.jpg">
Third event: Accident Avoidance, skid control
Dammit! More puddles?!? and I just got a car wash. This exercise proved just how difficult it is to induce oversteer in these cars without using the p-brake. Took out some cones too. Does the fun ever stop? of course not.
In between runs, the sideshow was the 2002 A4 3.0 quattro 5-speed manual test drive (german model, US version will be a 6-speed) My impressions: nice denim blue color, comfy seats, body roll kept in check, shifter is supa-smooth but still has some long throws, steering ratio is still not as quick as I expected, clutch angagement is now lower than older A4. Hopefully, US version will have a tighter steering ratio.
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/20243/quattrochallenge17.jpg">
So you're saying I'm not allowed to squeal the tires? Now why the hell not?
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/20243/quattrochallenge18.jpg">
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/20243/quattrochallenge19.jpg">
Fourth event: Timed autocross
Small course but fun nonetheless. 4 runs for each car but I gave 2 of my runs to my guest.
Best time of the day was rob fox's 16:49. My best of 2 runs was 17:27. Wished I was more selfish and didn't give my other 2 runs away. I ran SP5000 all-seasons and they held their own in the small course but could not hold on as much as I would've liked on the tight 180+ degree decreasing radius turn. Here's a kick to the stomach... my guest who has never driven an audi until now (currently drives a civic) proceeded to roast my clutch on the launch and beat my best run by .02 seconds. Bastard. He felt bad about my clutch and drinks were on him the rest of the night.
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/20243/quattrochallenge24.jpg">
the course
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/20243/quattrochallenge25.jpg">
The dinner at the Field museum:
3 carving tables with good food, an umpa band, crazy audi freaks milling about looking at prehistoric exhibits, and best of all a top-shelf open bar. It was a shame nobody was really taking advantage of it since everyone pulled in in their audis.
Thank you AoA. I had a great time!
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09-10-2001, 06:05 AM
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They only let us take it on a little circle about 50 yards in diameter. But I tried to push it.....
and yeah, it pushes like hell. It'll need some mods, just like the current model, but it's definitely a much better car. SOLID is the name of the game here.