All-wheel drive models Audi. Four-wheel drive Quattro: What is special again invented in Audi? Pros and cons

We all know the German company Audi and most are aware of the Quattro full drive system. Here we will tell you about her appearance, the principle of operation and simply study this mechanism in detail.

To begin, it should be said that this system is not simple, the manufacturer did not make analogs of other manufacturers. This is a unique mechanism that has many differences from competitors, by the way, it is used both on crossovers and sedans.

How it all began

In 1980, the company registered this brand and the development itself. Since that moment, something changed, and the company shared the generation system. The first generation appeared for the next year after the design of the patent. Then this system was an interstrate differential with a mechanical locking electronically or driver's hands.

Second version

In 1988, Audi has released a completely modified Quattro system, which has already worked differently. There was already applied by the self-locking differential Torsen, which, if necessary, distributed the torque and could transmit up to 80% on any of the axes.

There was a blocking that blocked on their own. The satellites themselves moved and began to stand perpendicular to the shafts. After that, the time has not changed, except for blocking in 1995, she just became electronic.

Third version

Only in 2007, the manufacturer decided to make a number of changes. Now there is an independent self-locking differential from the same Torsen. But in this case, it distributed a torque of 40 to 60, and if necessary, it changed this ratio. For example, if the front axis has a better grip and there is a sink rear, then it can be thrown up to 70% of power on it, rear axle In the same case, it can get up to 80%.

Fourth generation

In 2010, engineers have slightly improved this system. The differential was replaced by asymmetric, and a gear in the form of a crown appeared. In essence, the distribution of the moment remained the same, but the rear axle could now get up to 85%.

Latest moderation

At the moment, the last fifth generation of the Quattro full drive system. It appeared in 2014 and it is still installed, such cars like, and so on. This system has received a robotic E-Tron mechanism, which calculates the correct distribution of torque over the axes and for each individual wheel.

This made it possible to make the driver's life more convenient and at the same time to ensure security for any dangerous situations related, for example with a drift.

Owners most often do not recognize old versions of this system, they most like the last two generations. Also, some do not like the latest version, as they believe that experienced driver reacts much better than robotic system E-TRON. But there is a reverse side, some on the contrary trust the robot.

Scheme of full drive from Audi

As we said, this system is different from the likes from other manufacturers. There is a permanent four-wheel drive and a longitudinal location, both a motor and gearbox. This scheme manufacturer uses almost for each car brand.

Standard version:

• distribution;
• inter-wheeled differential;
• cardan transmission;
• basic programs.

How the Quattro system works

The system can safely work in a pair with automatic box Transmissions and mechanical. On the front axis there is a drive shaft, the task of which to transmit torque from the distribution to the main gear and the inter-wheeled differential of the front axle is. The shaft is in a separate casing. If we consider the penultimate version, then there most of the parts are located in the same casing.

An inter-wheeled differential in front has a free differential, which we have already spoken from 1995, is controlled by electronics. The full drive system itself originates with the checkpoint connected to the distribution. Also, this design has an inter-axis differential, which is just engaged in the distribution of the moment on the axes. The differential is connected to the gearbox mechanically.

It all depends on the design of the dispensing gearbox, the torque can be distributed using drive shafts or through the so-called gear transmission.

E-TRON system in most cases is used on hybrid versions. This scheme is the usual petrol motor And two electric motors. The first unit has a power of 33 kW and is located in front, and the electric motor is located at 60 kW.

Output

Yes, this system can actually bring you a lot of trouble in case of breakdown, but you have to think immediately before buying. If you do not need a four-wheel drive, it makes no sense to take it as it will increase the fuel consumption, and you will not get anything from him because you took the car to just ride.

Another thing, if you acquired a car with the QuattTro full drive system intends, and you initially understood what he needed you. Most often, people acquire it to drive, because the constant four-wheel drive provides a good start from the place.

Video

The Quattro full drive system is a constant full drive system, in which the torque is constantly transmitted to all the wheels of the car. Since 1980 name quattro. Used by an AUDI automaker to indicate the full drive system of its cars and is a registered trademark. A distinctive feature Quattro systems are the longitudinal location of the engine and transmission elements, which is characteristic of most AUDI cars.

Despite differences in the design of specific car systems, quattro system Includes the following traditional elements of the All-wheel drive transmission: gearbox, disposal box, cardan transmission, main gear and inter-wheeled differential on each axis.

In the transmission Quattro can be installed as manual Transmission , so I. automatic transmission.

The promising version of the full drive system from AUDI is based on the use hybrid power plant And wears the name E-TRON Quattro. This system is planned to be installed on serial cars Since 2014.

Constructive E-TRON Quattro includes in addition to the engine internal combustion And the gearbox is two electric motors - a capacity of 33 kW on the front axle and 60 kW - on the back. In this case, the rear axle has only an electric drive. Power of electric motors is carried out from lithium-ion rechargeable batteryinstalled in the central tunnel of the car.

The unique Quattro system was installed on many cars stamps Audi. In the period from the 80s until the end of 2000, while only recently it was replaced by a more modern version of the full E-TRONQUATTRO drive. Such a long period of using this dispensing mechanism is due to its revolutionary device, which, in its functionality, wear resistance and practicality, has much exceeded even the most bold expectations. The system under consideration was designed to distribute the torque evenly between all the wheels, which allows the driver to facilitate the control of the vehicle on any type of surface. As a result, maneuverability, stability, as well as the permeability of the Audi machines improved significantly, thanks to which sales of the brand dramatically went up.

History of creation

Before creating a full drive from manufacturers passenger cars Returns only in the early 70s of the last century. Nevertheless, nothing more worthwhile to world developers have been created until 1977, when Ferdinand Fair, who held the post of head of the Board of Directors of Audi, did not form a brilliant team of experts, putting the task of organic introduction of a full drive to them passenger cars. The main person in the team of Steel Jörg Bensinger and Walter The tracker, constructed a test prototype A 1. It was a modified sports coupe Audi 80 with installed on it chassis From the ILTIS SUV model, released several years earlier.

The main feature of the prototype was the rear shaft attached to the transmission drive mechanism.

The front axle was used as a rear drive with an inclined differential body. It was identical to the mechanism used on the ILTIS model, but the developers unfolded it back to improve the controllability of the machine on uneven surfaces. As a result, the system was successfully tested both on the smooth highway and in the field, proven himself only from the best side. However, the fate of the serial installation of the first sample of the full drive Quattro was to solve the manual concern Volkswagen.which included Audi company.

After technical tests on the snow-covered track, the head of the concern was decided to refine the system. The fact is that on steep turns, the stability of the machine left much to be desired, and the probability of overturning increased several times. To correct the problem, the box was mounted the inter-axis differential, which was driven by a special hollow shaft. On the one hand, the front axle drive was supplied to him, on the other, the cardan shaft, transmitting the torque on the rear axle of the car, was fed. This version of the full drive Quattro was tested on the wet track, after which it received a good-to-serial installation. The first owners of such a system have become a coupe and sedany Audi 80 - the legendary car, to meet which can and today on domestic roads.

SPEED IN SPORTS

The advantage that the innovative development of AUDI in rally races is not included in any comparison. For more than 10 years, no analogue could even be closely compared with, so the riders who have established such mechanisms for their vehicles won tens of seconds in a circle in more experienced opponents. Sometimes the rules in the rally competitions reached the absurdity: on cars where the system under consideration was introduced, a few minutes was accrued in advance to the final time. Many cars were not allowed to compete at all, why the entertainment of motor racing at that time significantly fell.

Despite numerous judicial prohibitions, audi cars With the invention, Quattro, managed to win the majority of races in the 1982/83 season, including Rally Portugal, Argentina, Finland, Sweden, etc. By 1985, almost all commands have moved on the version of the full drive from Audi, so the existing restrictions were lifted by the racing organizers . In addition, for sports competitions, the developers of the Volkswagen concern issued a number of versions of the Quattro system that received the prefixes Rally and Sport. The domination of Audi cars in motor racing lasted for more than 15 years, but in 1997 the leadership of the FIA \u200b\u200borganization banned vehicles to take part in races with a mentioned full drive system. Since then, Quattro system installed only civil cars.

Mechanism technology

Of course, the presented system has a number of modifications designed to give certain specifications A specific brand of vehicle that has come down from the AUDI conveyor. At the same time, this development has the following indispensable elements:

• Gearbox - serves to select speed \u200b\u200bregime vehicle;
• Main transmission - designed to increase torque to all wheels;
• Transfer box - distributes torque between all wheels or axes;
• Cardan transmission - needed to transmit torque only to a specific shaft;
• Differential - quickly distributes the power of the motor to the transmission elements.

All components that are equipped with the Quattro system, both together and individually have a high degree of reliability.

Cases of breakdowns of the device on numerous audi models They were isolated, while they were most often connected with intensive or improper operation of the vehicle. The transmission of the full drive could be composed of automatic or mechanical box The transmissions to which the distribution mechanism was mounted. In its design, there was an interstrate differential, evenly transmitting the load on the front and rear axles. The housing of this element in turn, connected to the checkpoint, and the torque was distributed either through the drive shafts, or using a separate gear.

If you consider in detail the design inter-axis differential Complete Dr. Quattro, then for the period of its existence, it has undergone a number of changes. In early 1980, it was a free mechanism with a mechanical blocking, but after a few years he was replaced by the original Torsen unit, capable of transmitting up to 80% of the load on the desired axis. In 2007, this mechanism was upgraded, having received the possibility of distribution to 70% of the torque on the axis with best clutch. Three years later, a asymmetric differential was installed on the Audi brand with the possibility of self-locking and the redistribution of the load to 70% on the front axle, up to 85% of the load on the rear axle.

In early 2010, the system described has undergone a number of changes, and now the principle of operation of aggregates is based on the operation of the hybrid power plant. Advanced K. power installationAlso, the gearbox is attached two autonomous electric motors, the capacity of which is estimated at 33 kW and 60 kW. For the rear axis there is only an electric drive, the power is assigned to a separate battery, mounted in the central tunnel of the car. This innovation was taken to reduce emissions. harmful substances In the atmosphere, because it is not a secret for anyone that machines with a full drive system consume much more fuel than their analogues with front or rear-wheel drive.

Advantages and disadvantages

Of course, vehicles, where there is a Quattro system, have both positive and negative characteristics. Initially, let's talk about the advantages of the full drive, the list of which is invariably included:

• Stability on any type of road surface;
• Increased engine braking efficiency;
• Wonderful traffic records;
• Instant response to the steering wheel.

The additional advantage of AUDI machines with the designation Quattro was the rapid start of movement with scrolling all four wheels at the same time, which even makes the optimal speed in the slippery road. Prolonged slipups are almost completely excluded and occur only when the vehicle tires are in a deplorable state.

Unfortunately, Quattro system has a number of minor flaws. Their list includes factors such as:

• Increased fuel consumption;
• Increased requirements for the operation of auto operation;
• Expensive repair of the mechanism in case of its failure.

Another minus car with fully drive It is considered a high probability of loss currency stability In extreme situations. With a bad clutch with a road surface, inexperienced drivers too often make one common error: included in a sharp turn at high speed. The Quattro system simply does not have time to distribute the torque in a timely manner, as a result vehicle goes into a skid. Therefore, in rainy or snowy weather, experts recommend not to put out all their might on the gas pedal, otherwise you can get into a serious accident.

Legendary Audi brands with a drive under consideration

Four-wheel drive Quattro installed on tens of models german concern Volkswagen, however, just some of them acquired the status of the road legends. One of the fastest sports cars became Audiquattrocoupe, with distinguishing signs of which are the elegant outlines of the body, a powerful power unit with a volume of 2.8-liters, as well as the ability to reach 100 km / h in just 7 seconds. For 1991, when the car was first presented to potential buyers, it was a wonderful indicator.

For lovers of extreme ride, the developers of the Audi presented the Sportquattro version. With a shortened wheelbase, the model could produce phenomenal 302 horses, accepted from space up to 100 km / h in less than 5 seconds. It was such a car most often participated in the rally competitions, so in the design of its body, the guri tank gowns along with the nostrils of air intake on the hood were introduced.

For a calm measured ride, a series of AudiaVantquattro models was designed, which had a spacious luggage compartment, comfortable salon and excellent road sightseeing. In addition to the full drive system, the roll control devices were introduced, a reliable line of motors with an unpretentious suspension. For the period of its existence, the AudiaVant model has proven itself as an ideal car for family use.

Thus, the four-wheel drive Quattro has become a real revolutionary achievement of German designers, which allowed to improve the technical characteristics of the car, give it the dynamics of overclocking and stability on various road surfaces.

Well no

Audi decided to abandon the full drive with the central Differential Torsen on most of its models. A new design comes to replace it, radically different from the predecessor. "Motor" visited the presentation of the novelty, carefully studied it and tried on public roads.

####What happened?

Audi introduced a new design of the full drive, which was called Quattro Ultra. It will be used on cars with longitudinal engine location and can be combined with a manual transmission or with robotic S Tronic. Simply put, Quattro Ultra system is designed for everything that is built on the MLB modular chassis. That is, for the entire A4 family - the first model with Quattro Ultra will be A4 Allroad new Generations, as well as A5, Q5 and A6 of the following generations.

The key honors from the new system from the current is replacing the asymmetric Central Torsen Differential on the MAGNA electronically controlled coupling, the discs of which are in the oil bath (five or seven pairs, depending on the model and power of the motor). At the same time, the location of the coupling is the same as the "Torsen" - immediately behind the gearbox.

But that's not all. In Quattro Ultra there is another coupling, disconnecting, which is between the right rear semi-axis and the housing of the rear differential. She is caming, and its main task is to unlock when the moment is on rear wheels Not served. In this case, the rear wheels will rotate freely, and the driven and leading differential gears are not spinning at all: only satellites and gear gears are freely rotated around its axes.

In a situation where the front clutch closes and begins to feed the moment on the rear wheels, the back under the action of the springs is closed and all four wheels begin to rotate together.

#### And if easier?

Everything is simple: before the Audi A4 was a permanent four-wheel drive with a mechanical self-block, and now - connected with constantly rowing front wheels.

#### What was the bad old four-wheel drive?

The new system has several advantages at once. First, it helps reduce fuel consumption. Let it be slightly only 0.3 liters per hundred kilometers of run, but to reduce. It was possible to achieve this due to a decrease in friction losses. Because when the cam coupling opens, the rotation of the largest component of the differential and the cardan shaft is stopped.

True, the difference in 0.3 liters, the Audi specialists were recorded during road tests in Ingolstadt, where the intensity of movement, like the number of cars, is difficult to compare with the Moscow traffic.

Secondly, new system Lighter than the former, with Torsen differential. Savings are not the most significant - only about four kilograms, but still. The third benefit is the ability to control the time distribution over the axes more flexibly - after all, the electronic coupling allows you to direct any number of torque to the rear wheels from 0 to 100 percent.

#### and how does it all work live?

According to the project manager Quattro Ultra Florian Keblob, one of the developers' goals was that the driver does not feel the difference between the old design and new. And they seem to be it possible.

In Austrian cities with anti-imaginal speed restrictions and on serpentines around Innsbruck, where endless bust of turns, we managed to ride the latest generation A4 universal as with "Torsen" and with Quattro Ultra. "Four" with a conventional central differential is so neutral, as far as the laws of physics allow, and track how the diff changes the distribution of the moment between the axes is almost impossible.

Rotate the steering, a little more gas and a 4.7-meter universal screwed into a turn as Yula. And while the passengers remember the stop-word that you did not come up with, the driver wants to move the plank of reasonable farther and on, only occasionally fighting with a seemingly plump out the fruit.

The car with Quattro Ultra goes in similar conditions ... In the same way. There is no difference in behavior or handling. The wagon writes the trajectory very neutral. And the similarity is confirmed not only by the feeling behind the wheel, but also telemetry. On the 6-kilometer items designated for the test, the rear wheels were fed, in one or another quantity, 70.8 percent of time. Moreover, regardless of which the mechatronic chassis mode was selected.

On the connection of the rear axis, cars with Quattro Ultra leaves no more than 0.2 seconds. Moreover, the rear axle is connected before the front wheels start slipping - the control unit receives data from the stabilization system controlling electronics power aggregate, analyzes the position of the pedal of gas, engine speed and the clutch coefficient of the wheels with an expensive hundred times per second. Even the presence of trailer and driving style are taken into account!

In addition, the algorithm varies depending on which mode is selected in the Drive SELECT system. For example, in economical efficiency, the thrust on the rear wheels is given less often, and in the sports Dynamic - almost constantly. When starting from the place with the activated Dynamic mode, the rear wheels will work immediately, and not when the front will lose clutch with the surface.

The similarity in the behavior of cars with Torsen and Quattro Ultra can also be explained by the fact that the distribution of the thrust between the wheels in both cases is the brakes: the inner wheels in the turn are obtained by braking impulses, helping the machine to retain on the trajectories.

####, that is, everything is cool?

How to say. For an ordinary driver, it did not get worse. On the contrary, solid advantages: more understandable behavior on the road and reduced fuel consumption. Whether a novelty will like to travel actively, especially in winter - this is a question that requires checking in more suitable than licked Austrian roads, conditions.