Before there were sport utility vehicles

Before there were sport utility vehicles,
the potential of the drivetrain in a ropd car.
ger car, but it did build the first one that
there were utility vehicles, and it is from
Given the green light by then -head of
could be seen as something other than
one of these, the lltris, sold as a Volkswa·
research and development Ferdinand Piech,
technological gadgetry or economical
gen but designed and built by Audi, that
work began in March 1977. and the Quattro
galoshes for bad weather. The Quattro was
the legend of the Quattro was born.
coupe had its debut three years later at the
an attractive, fast, safe, reliable perfor-
Geneva Motor Show. Rally success followed
mance car that could handle the worst con-
door with a canvas top and styling that
in 1982 and 1983, and "civilian" sales
ditions-security for those who wanted to
made it a spiritual successor to the Thing.
exceeded Audi 's expectations many times
push the limits in an insecure world. That's
The lltris was a small, lightweight, four-
Most enthusiasts would have tried not to
over, launching a new segment in the perfor-
how SUVs are being sold today, but an Audi
think about such an ugly duck, but Audi's
mance car marketplace. Audi did not build
with Quattro is still one of the best argu-
chief chassis engineer, )org Bensinger, saw
the first all-wheel-drive, road-going passen-
ments against them .
like few others to the tuner's touch. Twenty
valves make the engine seem exotic, but it's
more proven technology than experimentation . The bottom end has long been known
for durability: The t6oocc version of 20
years ago could be safely run at 9000 rpm
with blueprinted stock parts. The fivevalves-per-cylinder configuration was not
-
1999 AUDI AVANT I . ST
ENGINE
1.8T
Code
-
-
1.781 a:
0011:. 5valves per cy!ioder
Engine management mods: Neuspeed P-Qip {n:nrases blat ID
0.811at~-'-'
c="---­
raises lllVIimiiiD 7000rpm)
DRIVETRAIN
Audi's vehicles have matured over the
ness, the well-damped feel and sound of
last two decades, lately taking up a position
European luxury. And in the Avant, it is all
as the third premium German marque,
that in a station wagon , the perfect way to
rather than "that other German marque."
move four or five people and their stuff.
Audi's models share a distinct look, much
In recent years, Audi's lowest-cost
and there is a quality about them that a
aftermarket for one reason , the tunability of
brand manager could be excused for calling
the t .8T engine. Based on the same old iron
"Audiness." It is a unique collection of
block that has been continually improved in
design elements, executed perfectly in every
Audis and Volkswagens since 1972, this five-
detail, both visual and tactile. It is quiet·
valve-per-cylinder powerhouse responds
BY
Neuspeed 22-lllll 3-way alljus1a!l!e
model, the A4, has become a darling of the
as do those of Mercedes-Benz and BMW,
I
SUSPENSION
Fmot
THE
NUMBERS
D
D
BRAKE
SYSTEM
Fmot
braidedblalailines
9.6-inch (stndl) CI1ISS drilled roiDis.
Rear
WHEELS
&
Tmrs
TIRES
18 x7.5-inclll!acing Hart Evululilt C6
225/40ZR18 BF 6omb g+..Jm KD
Stock Audi A4 1.8T
Neuspeed Audi A4 1.8T Avant
B0 DY
Fmotbomper
lllherbodyparts
Slid Audi S4 bumper cover
Avant Ganl fiberglass side sOts and
60-0 distance
ACCELERATION
(Feet)
Slalom Speed
(MPH)
0-30 mph
2.4sec.
0-60 mph
30-50 mph
50-70 mplt
lluarterMie
7.3sec.
2.8 sec.
4.2sec.
15.2sec.@ 89.0 mph
HANDLING
700-h slalom speed
Lateral Acceleration
(g)
• Acceleration data is not available. A stock, manual
transmission A4 1.8T was not availale for this test.
98 SPORT COMPACT CAR I APRIL 2000 •
www. sp o r t co m p ac t ca r we b. co m
67.5 mph
0.96g
BRAKING
60-D mph Stnpping Dist : 11 H
new even when this engine had its debut in
to 225 hp, and most reputable tuners don't
other car tested except the HKS Subaru. After
Europe, years ahead of its arrival in the Unit-
seem to go much beyond that. Doing so
that, the Avant's weight and aerodynamics
ed States. Yamaha pioneered it in F1, motor-
would require an even larger turbo, which
began to show, and the A4 was the slowest
cycles, and even on the Toyota 4AGE-2o. Fer-
would result in a loss of responsiveness and
modified car from so to 70 and in the quarter
rari latched onto it, and continues to use it in
bottom-end and midrange power. That
mile. Despite its excellent torque curve, 180
street cars.
would sacrifice driving pleasure, the basic
peak hp just isn't that much, especially in a
principle behind "Audiness."
heavy car like this.
What is truly a pioneering effort on this
car, and the reason for the easy initial per-
From our initial walk-around of the
A4 Avant, we knew Neuspeed had
Fortunately, Neuspeed's suspension work
and those sticky tires were able to deliver on
formance gains, is the total computer con-
Neuspeed
trol of engine operation, including turbo
come with gloves off and knuckles taped.
the promises made by the car's appearance.
boost. Electronics are key to the flat torque
The car was shod with BF Goodrich G-Force
Only the modified Miata, a much lighter vehi-
curve, usually indicated as 155 lb-ft at 1750·
KD tires, and we knew they were serious. It
cle on even stickier tires, circled the skid pad
4600 rpm, since there is no single point at
was beautiful: A wagon on tires that blur the
fast enough to beat the Audi's 0.96 g.
which torque peaks. And electronics are key
line between race and street. The car was
Through the slalom, the big, heavy station
to unlocking that torque curve. In the Avant,
beautiful in all the usual ways, too.
wagon was faster than all the stock cars
the same hardware with different software
Neuspeed's modifications were thorough
except the TypeR. And in braking, the Audi's
realizes 207 lb-ft at 3200 rpm, and in the TT,
and well integrated, so the car was clearly
6o-to-o distance of 112.35 feet bettered every
which has an electronic throttle and higher
dressed up, but no one element stood out.
other vehicle tested except the modified Type
boost pressure, output is increased from 150
The stance, wheels, and subtle body
R. Those are some impressive numbers, but
to 180 hp, seemingly the reliable limit of the
changes say upscale Southern California,
numbers are not the whole story. The rest of
standard Ko3 turbo.
not boy-racer.
the story, however, lived up to the test
Ko4, which is easy enough, because it con-
For the Neuspeed A4, as for the standard
A4, low-rpm torque is the engine's strong
dled phenomenally. Under constant corner-
sists of larger wheels in the same housing
suit, though possibly at the expense of
ing, it could easily be steered with the throt-
as the Ko3. With a Ko4, Audi takes the 1.8T
usable power. Zero to 30, the A4 beat every
tle. It was tremendous fun to pitch it side-
Going further requires an upgrade to the
100 SPORT COMPACT CAR I APRIL 2000 •
www. s p o r t co mp o c t co r we b . co m
results. For a big, heavy car, this Audi han-
ways into a turn, stand on the throttle, and do
a four-wheel powerslide onto the straight.
Addictive, even. Without a doubt, this car
would be the fastest and most fun way to take
three friends to the ski resort Unless, of
course, you were considering this car with
more power.
What Neuspeed didn't change was the
essential goodness of an Audi. After days
of driving entertaining buzz boxes,
getting into the A4 was a joy. It was
fantastically quiet. All the controls
feel solid, precise yet well cushioned .
Audi's sport steering wheel may be
the best on the planet, even better
than the Miata's Nardi, and far ahead
of similarly priced BMWs. Riding 2
inches lower than stock, this car
would_n't get too far off road, but 90
percent of SUVs never see dirt either.
That makes this car the ultimate SUV
alternative. •
Automotive Performance
Systems (Neuspeed)
3300 Corte Mal paso, Camarillo, CA 930 12
(805) 388-71 71 • (805) 388-0030 fax
www.neuspeed.com