There is a great little S turn I go through everyday on my way to and fro work. The road is a four lane.<p>It is simply one of those turns that answers the qeustion; did I really need a car like this. After six months I know my limits through the S. It is a joy to blast through cars (Maximas, Lexus, Hoopties, trucks) you name it that are proceeding cautiously through the S at about 20 to 30 mph. I can hit it the hard left at about 55 (barely sliding) and accellerate through the sweeping right out to about 65 mph. More joy is even attained when cars are staggered through the turn with little old ladies white knuckling their Celebs, Mercedes and Lincolns at 25 mh, while I bob and weave from lane to lane and pass them as if they are standing still. Grow up. Forget that.<p>Yesterday or the day before, I was on my way to work and the road was wet after a hard down pouring. I was not paying attention and went into the hard left at about 50. My 1998.5 28QSTip with 17 inch R28s (you get the picture) broke loose and went totally sideways. Interestingly, I was on the inside lane whereas I usually enter the S on the outside lane and hit the apex. Otherwise, I would have been phoning Gary for two new rims and tires.<p>When the car broke loose, no oversteer. Probably a bit of mild to moderate understeer if anything. I did not let off thinking the rear end might kick out a bit. Nope. The car remained in a hard nose forward sideways slide. I am used to oversteer and using reverse lock so I got a bit concerned. Then, ah, the rear end finally kicked out. Reverse lock and power and I made it to the sweeping right hander.<p>Nice Car I may have murmured and a bit of a racing heart and I was ready for more (at least for another day). IMHO, that is the way a car should handle in a corner when pushed beyond its limits. While oversteer is fun and more predictable unless you have 500 horses and rear wheel drive to spin you, the A4 was well balanced and mild mannered. That IMHO is the way a car should handle when pushed to the limits in a corner. Hats off to Audi. I love my mild manner and well balanced sedan!

Oversteer and understeer depend on a lot of other factors. You can easily provoke either. The suspension/alignment/tire spec (same size as you have) is set for understeer by Audi. If you use the brakes when you go into the corner the back will come around, unless you manage to lock them (rare, will understeer then).<p>BTW, the powering out of a problem is only a solution in some cases. If you give it a lot of throttle you will have less traction to stop with.<br>A lot depends on the slip angle of the car and where the momentum is headed (how far around the corner when it breaks loose).<p>Handbraking will break the rears loose to bring the car around (old rally survival skill for cliffs). Quite frankly, I prefer a touch of understeer at very high speeds to avoid snap oversteer (nascar style), then I just have to lay off the throttle a touch to get the car back into balance. Oversteer rules the day in tight handling situations, and feels much better.

I had a similar experience at the track in June. A drizzling rain made the grease on the track really slick. One thing I did which I just didn't realize at the time was that as I apexed, I got on the accel. but a little too much too early and the back end broke free. If you get on it too soon in a slick condition....it happens even in quattro.<br>Fortunately, no damage...but red faced nonetheless. I was alone in the car at least, so no one to laugh at me. It was my first 180 spin, off the track onto the grass. There was no pulling it out, due to the greasy conditions. So I just did the 'both feet in rule'. Plus it all happened so darn fast I was a little amazed. Quattro can sometimes give you a false sense of security in rainy conditions. Still, it's way better than most and I just learned to be more aware of where I am in a turn before getting back on the throttle and to be much more smooth.<br>-C.