Audi Quattro

Audi Quattro

Greater traction, greater safety, greater dynamism

Over seven million models with quattro® technology have been built to date, making Audi the world’s most successful manufacturer of premium cars with permanent all-wheel drive. From compact cars to saloons to supercars, quattro is synonymous with legendary traction, sure handling and a unique and exclusive brand of driving pleasure.

Why only use two wheels when a car has four?

Why only use two wheels when a car has four?

It doesn’t matter how mighty the engine is: its power first has to be channelled via the wheels before reaching the road. The quattro permanent all-wheel-drive system splits drive power between the front and rear wheels to optimum effect. This enables an Audi fitted with quattro to keep making safe progress with ease in situations where two-wheel-drive vehicles no longer have any forward traction, such as on slippery surfaces or loose terrain.
Legendary technology that has evolved with the times

Legendary technology that has evolved with the times

Throughout its 30 years of existence, Audi has never ceased to explore new territory with quattro permanent all-wheel drive, whether it has been for compact models with transverse engines or for the Audi R8 high-performance sports car. This has resulted in a long range of innovations right up to today, spanning from the classic manually locking centre differential on the original “Ur-quattro” to the latest version to evolve in the form of the crown-gear centre differential fitted in certain Audi RS models from quattro GmbH.

The classic: quattro with centre differential

The quattro drive system employed in most Audi models is based on a self-locking centre differential. The principle is as simple as it is ingenious: if the wheels on one axle lose grip and threaten to spin, it automatically redirects the drive power to the other axle. With a basic distribution of 40:60, 40 percent of the power reaches the road via the front wheels and 60 percent via the rear. To counter any wheel slip that occurs, the system can direct up to 70 percent of the drive power to the front or up to 85 percent to the rear. The benefits of this are more grip when accelerating and greater safety thanks to the exceptional roadholding.

Like driving on rails: the optional sport differential

The optional quattro sport differential intensifies the inimitable quattro sensation by countering the general tendency of vehicles to understeer when turning into and moving through corners. The addition of superposed two-stage gearing units ensures that the wheels on the rear axle receive different levels of drive torque. The redistribution of drive forces virtually pushes the car into the corner. The reduction in load at the front axle is less, allowing it to transfer more lateral force at the tyres. As a result, the vehicle follows the turning angle of the front wheels as if it were on rails.

Compact: quattro with multi-plate clutch

The brand with the four rings devised a completely new quattro drive system for compact models with transverse engines, such as the Audi TT and Audi A3. An electronically controlled and hydraulically operated multi-plate clutch directs the vast majority of the engine’s power to the front wheels in the basic configuration. A control unit draws on a multitude of data readings to constantly analyse the prevailing driving conditions. If necessary, it can divert an infinitely adjustable proportion of the drive torque to the rear axle – depending on the handling characteristics, driving situation and current Audi drive select mode. In extreme cases, nearly all of the drive power flows to the rear wheels.

Agile: quattro with crown-gear differential

The latest generation of quattro permanent all-wheel drive is showcased by the Audi RS models from the A4 and A5 ranges. The new centrepiece – a self-locking crown-gear centre differential – brings about a further increase in traction, helped by sets of plates with high locking values. The centre differential’s more compact design furthermore has a beneficial effect on weight. The asymmetric basic power split of 40:60 is retained to the benefit of handling dynamics. However, a higher percentage of the drive torque can now be directed to the front or rear wheels when required.

Guidance in corners: torque vectoring

More equal cornering forces for greater safety: in conjunction with torque vectoring, quattro also distributes the drive forces individually to each wheel to suit the driving situation. By applying carefully measured amounts of braking force at both wheels on the inside of the bend, the torque distribution takes effect before any wheel slip actually occurs. The resultant yawing moment helps with cornering and allows for sporty handling characteristics that can be controlled with great precision along with even more agility and traction.

Audi R8

quattro with viscous coupling in the Audi R8

The quattro permanent all-wheel drive on the Audi R8 high-performance sports car has a pronounced rear-wheel bias. The transmission mounted behind the longitudinal mid-engine is fitted with a power take-off for a propshaft. This channels the drive power down one side past the engine to the front axle, where a viscous clutch distributes the torque. The basic power split is 15:85. If the rear wheels start to spin, an additional 15 percent is directed to the front in an instant. In this way, quattro once again provides the trademark Audi qualities: outstanding traction, acceleration with virtually no slip, sharper handling dynamics, improved straight-line stability – and, of course, a generous extra dose of driving pleasure.

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The specified fuel consumption and emission data have been determined according to the measurement procedures prescribed by law. Since 1st September 2017, certain new vehicles are already being type-approved according to the Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicles Test Procedure (WLTP), a more realistic test procedure for measuring fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. On September 1st 2018, the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC) was replaced by the WLTP in stages. Owing to the more realistic test conditions, the fuel consumption and CO2 emissions measured according to the WLTP will, in many cases, be higher than those measured according to the NEDC. Therefore, the usage of CO2 emission values measured according to WLTP for vehicle taxation from 1st September 2018 on can cause changes in this regard as well. For further information on the differences between the WLTP and NEDC, please visit www.audi.de/wltp or www.audi.ie/ie/web/en/models/layer/wltp-lp/layer/nefz-wltp.html

We are currently still required by law to state the NEDC figures. In the case of new vehicles which have been type-approved according to the WLTP, the NEDC figures are derived from the WLTP data. It is possible to specify the WLTP figures voluntarily in addition until such times as this is required by law. In cases where the NEDC figures are specified as value ranges, these do not refer to a particular individual vehicle and do not constitute part of the sales offering. They are intended exclusively as a means of comparison between different vehicle types. Additional equipment and accessories (e.g. add-on parts, different tyre formats, etc.) may change the relevant vehicle parameters, such as weight, rolling resistance and aerodynamics, and, in conjunction with weather and traffic conditions and individual driving style, may affect fuel consumption, electrical power consumption, CO2 emissions and the performance figures for the vehicle. Further information on official fuel consumption figures and the official specific CO₂ emissions of new passenger cars can be found in the guide “Information on the fuel consumption, CO₂ emissions and electricity consumption of new cars”, which is available free of charge at all sales dealerships and from DAT Deutsche Automobil Treuhand GmbH, Hellmuth-Hirth-Strasse 1, 73760 Ostfildern-Scharnhausen, Germany (www.dat.de).