A Canadian, former owner of a Passat g60 Syncro, who, afterwards, is, (or was), an owner of an Audi Quattro cs 100, (a, rather, unusual case), says:
" I think I am the only Vortex member who was an original owner of
Passat G60 syncro. The car above is a 1992 model that I bought in late
August of 1991 (I sold it in 1994). Great car, great and simple AWD
system. This car handled far better in snow than my mom's 1993 Audi 100CS quattro. It was like a little tank in the snow (and I lived in Ottawa when I had this car so it saw A LOT of snow!)."
An U.S.A.'s citizen, again, a former owner of a Passat Syncro and now an owner of an Audi A4 Quattro, (yes very difficult to find these two people), says:
"This winter, I upgraded to an '99 Audi A4 Quattro, and retired the '92 Syncro to the back yard. For the second time this year, my syncro was able to drive through snow drifts on the road that my Quattro was hopelessly stuck in. The worst part is that after driving the syncro through the snow banks with ease, and I used it to pull my quattro out. They both have the Nordic Wintertrac tires on. I was under the impression when I bought my quattro that it had a good all wheel drive system. I can guess by the fact that one front tire and one rear tire on the quattro were spinning that these are not limited slip diff's."
A Greek journalist and racing driver, with many victories, mr. Stratis Chatzipanagiotou, in his review about the Golf Rallye, (Syncro), said:
"It is better and cheaper than Audi Quattro".
The Golf Rallye, (Syncro).
In the next videos we'll see Quattro's , of various generations, behavior, (and Subaru's!).
No sir, a Syncro car never behaves like this, (if you know what you are doing).
But we'll discuss the above videos case per case and, afterwards, we'll go forward for the Quattro's next generations. (Call it Q5).
In the mean time, take a (hand)break:
Video #1
a)The car climbs on the rollers with the rear axle and both the rear wheels are "on the air", (or on ice if you prefer).
Quattro: a)the Torsen center differential, sends the power where it should be send for an open, (Torsen 75% of torque), differential, which is the easiest, for it, path to the rear wheels, which are running happily without difficulties and the car is immobilized.
Syncro: a)the front differential is always powered with 100% torque, so the car is attracted from the trap, as a front wheel drive car.
b)The car climbs on the rollers with the front axle, and both the front wheels are "on the air".
Quattro: b)the, (almost), open/Torsen center differential, sends the power to the easiest, for it, path, to the front wheels and the car is trapped.
Syncro: b)the auto regulated, (mechanically), vct, acting as a controlled center differential, senses the difference in the turning velocity between the two axles, and, (in a tenth of a second), sends power to the rear axle. The car is attracted from the trap, again.
Video #2 is the same as the #1 case a.
And here is a description of the Quattro II. Judging from the results, it seems that the 75% going to the axle with traction is not enough, Syncro sends up to 100% to the rear, when necessary, and 100% to the front, always.
System type: Permanent four-wheel drive.
Torsen centre differential, 50:50 'default' split, automatically apportioning up to 75% of torque transfer to either axle.
Open rear differential, manually lockable via switch on centre console located next to handbrake. ¹
Open front differential, no lock.
¹ - ABS disabled when locked, automatically unlocks if speed exceeds 25 km/h (16 mph)."
How does the system perform: When rear differential is manually locked, the car will not be able to move if one front wheel and both rear wheels lose traction altogether."
In comparison, b35i's Syncro system, with EDL, (electronic, front differential lock), is able to move if one front wheel and both rear wheels lose traction, altogether. On the other hand, if one rear and two front, or if the diagonal two, lose traction, again using the handbrake, (see the above video), or (and), EDL, is able to move.
(*1 The above does not apply to the Syncro models without EDL, such as Golf Country and others.
*2 The t3's Syncro system is another story, with the dual lockers, "gelande" and the liquid cooled, heavy duty, vct).
Video #3
In this video we see the nightmare of all 4x4 systems happening, the diagonal hanging of the axles.
The Torsen central differential sends the power to both axles and, (very happily), they feel o.k. with their duties, turning one wheel per side. The results are obvious, although the driver engages the brakes to force the system to distribute better the power.
The Passat's Syncro driver, (for a t3 Syncro this is an easy game for the dual lockers), has the EDL on the front axle and the option to lock the rear differential with the handbrake. As you can see in my video above, the system works perfectly.
But, as someone can say, Quattro II is an old system, (contemporary to the Syncro).
What about the nowdays Quattro?
It is the "Vectoring" Quattro:
The torque vectoring system Vector Drive rear axle drive manufactured by ZF is being offered on Audi A4, A5, A6, Q7 and Q5. The Vector Drive system distributes torque individually to the rear axle wheels generating a yaw moment, which improves handling and stabilizes the vehicle when it oversteers or understeers, increasing safety."
In the mean time, take a (hand)break:
So, let's examine the Quattro video #1, what the Quattro does and what the Syncro will do under the specific circumstances.
Video #1
a)The car climbs on the rollers with the rear axle and both the rear wheels are "on the air", (or on ice if you prefer).
Quattro: a)the Torsen center differential, sends the power where it should be send for an open, (Torsen 75% of torque), differential, which is the easiest, for it, path to the rear wheels, which are running happily without difficulties and the car is immobilized.
Syncro: a)the front differential is always powered with 100% torque, so the car is attracted from the trap, as a front wheel drive car.
b)The car climbs on the rollers with the front axle, and both the front wheels are "on the air".
Quattro: b)the, (almost), open/Torsen center differential, sends the power to the easiest, for it, path, to the front wheels and the car is trapped.
Syncro: b)the auto regulated, (mechanically), vct, acting as a controlled center differential, senses the difference in the turning velocity between the two axles, and, (in a tenth of a second), sends power to the rear axle. The car is attracted from the trap, again.
Video #2 is the same as the #1 case a.
And here is a description of the Quattro II. Judging from the results, it seems that the 75% going to the axle with traction is not enough, Syncro sends up to 100% to the rear, when necessary, and 100% to the front, always.
"quattro generation II
"Starting from 1988 on older generation Audi 100 C3 platform and Audi Quattro turbo coupé until the end of their production, and on new generation B3 platform (1989–1992) Audi 80/90 quattro, B4 platform (1992–1995) Audi 80, Audi Coupé quattro, Audi S2, Audi RS2 Avant, C4 platform (1991–1994) Audi 100 quattro, Audi S4, earlier C4 platform (1995) Audi A6/S6.
System type: Permanent four-wheel drive.
Torsen centre differential, 50:50 'default' split, automatically apportioning up to 75% of torque transfer to either axle.
Open rear differential, manually lockable via switch on centre console located next to handbrake. ¹
Open front differential, no lock.
¹ - ABS disabled when locked, automatically unlocks if speed exceeds 25 km/h (16 mph)."
How does the system perform: When rear differential is manually locked, the car will not be able to move if one front wheel and both rear wheels lose traction altogether."
In comparison, b35i's Syncro system, with EDL, (electronic, front differential lock), is able to move if one front wheel and both rear wheels lose traction, altogether. On the other hand, if one rear and two front, or if the diagonal two, lose traction, again using the handbrake, (see the above video), or (and), EDL, is able to move.
(*1 The above does not apply to the Syncro models without EDL, such as Golf Country and others.
*2 The t3's Syncro system is another story, with the dual lockers, "gelande" and the liquid cooled, heavy duty, vct).
Video #3
In this video we see the nightmare of all 4x4 systems happening, the diagonal hanging of the axles.
The Torsen central differential sends the power to both axles and, (very happily), they feel o.k. with their duties, turning one wheel per side. The results are obvious, although the driver engages the brakes to force the system to distribute better the power.
The Passat's Syncro driver, (for a t3 Syncro this is an easy game for the dual lockers), has the EDL on the front axle and the option to lock the rear differential with the handbrake. As you can see in my video above, the system works perfectly.
But, as someone can say, Quattro II is an old system, (contemporary to the Syncro).
What about the nowdays Quattro?
It is the "Vectoring" Quattro:
"Vectoring quattro" system (quattro generation VI ?)
Audi's new vectoring quattro system, which will allow the dynamic allocation of torque to all four wheels[5] will debut in the B8 S4. This will still use the 40:60 asymmetric Torsen centre differential, but will use an electronically controlled "Active Sport Differential" in the rear axle (instead of the conventional "open" differential with EDL). The front axle will still rely on an open differential with EDL.[4]
The torque vectoring system Vector Drive rear axle drive manufactured by ZF is being offered on Audi A4, A5, A6, Q7 and Q5. The Vector Drive system distributes torque individually to the rear axle wheels generating a yaw moment, which improves handling and stabilizes the vehicle when it oversteers or understeers, increasing safety."
Very impressive!
So let's see how it is compared to the Syncro system, (yes, to that old one).
But the above video seems a little bit biased, the car has no momentum as the cars from the other brands have, let's try something else:
The same reaction from the last, (?), Quattro system is repeated and here.
How the Passat Syncro reacts to these situations? (Because the dual lockers Vanagon's Syncro system is beyond all these).
For the first video, the diagonal nightmare, as already is said, locking the front diff by the EDL and the rear by the handbrake, (is exactly the case in my video with the handbrake), the car moves.
For the second video/case, applying the handbrake, rear differential locks and the car moves.
It is important here to stress the fact that a limited number of 4x4 systems are compatible to the handbrake diff locking and the Vectoring Quattro system, sending 60%, only, of the torque to the axle which has to move the car, it seems that it is not. (Probably applying the brakes by an, educated, driver may do something?).
F. ex., check the video with the Subaru Forester to see what this incompatibility means, here.
25/January/17
But this incompatibility is present to the Haldex (I), too, meaning that the Haldex cars cannot benefited from a rear diff handbrake/locker:
Passat Syncro g60: a UPS car!
(Objections rejected).
25/January/17
But this incompatibility is present to the Haldex (I), too, meaning that the Haldex cars cannot benefited from a rear diff handbrake/locker:
Haldex, no rear locker/handbrake capability.
(For those who still think of the Haldex as a revolution of the Syncro).
More vs Haldex.
Passat Syncro g60: a UPS car!
(Objections rejected).
18/May/2017
A new Quattro system, called with "ultra technology" is released from the February of 2016.
Interesting...
Trying to find some elements of this puzzle:
ULTRA QUATTRO, less than perfect from the moment one?
Audi head of four-wheel drive development Dieter Weidemann:
"... ultra was not torque-limited but there was no intention to replace the traditional Torsen centre-locking diff in higher-output models.
“We will keep the permanent all-wheel drive for over 500Nm of torque and the customers that buy cars with engines with more than 500nm of torque are not the same customers who buy an all-wheel drive because of the fuel consumption".
link
19/May/2017
A dual Haldex system having one Haldex unit for the front and one for the rear axle? Clever!
That is why it can be 4x4, fwd, rwd or anything between, according to the data from the sensors to a central intelligence system.
But it is not a Quattro...
Update.
Finally it is just a, (highly, electronically-sophisticated), mono-Haldex (VI)...
(Obsessive Branding Disorder?).
Just wondering if, after 20-30 years, where a proved Syncro system may be maintained and work perfectly, (and be going, happily, to one more time packet), a Haldex VI, (Ultra Quattro), will be recognized by humans or by robots. Of course, it is not manufactured for those late, skeleton, adopters...(ha ha ha).
03/January/2018
A Syncro car never is trapped in these situations as a Quattro does:
The Syncro Heresy
A new Quattro system, called with "ultra technology" is released from the February of 2016.
Interesting...
Trying to find some elements of this puzzle:
ULTRA QUATTRO, less than perfect from the moment one?
Audi head of four-wheel drive development Dieter Weidemann:
"... ultra was not torque-limited but there was no intention to replace the traditional Torsen centre-locking diff in higher-output models.
“We will keep the permanent all-wheel drive for over 500Nm of torque and the customers that buy cars with engines with more than 500nm of torque are not the same customers who buy an all-wheel drive because of the fuel consumption".
link
19/May/2017
A dual Haldex system having one Haldex unit for the front and one for the rear axle? Clever!
That is why it can be 4x4, fwd, rwd or anything between, according to the data from the sensors to a central intelligence system.
But it is not a Quattro...
Update.
Finally it is just a, (highly, electronically-sophisticated), mono-Haldex (VI)...
(Obsessive Branding Disorder?).
Just wondering if, after 20-30 years, where a proved Syncro system may be maintained and work perfectly, (and be going, happily, to one more time packet), a Haldex VI, (Ultra Quattro), will be recognized by humans or by robots. Of course, it is not manufactured for those late, skeleton, adopters...(ha ha ha).
03/January/2018
A Syncro car never is trapped in these situations as a Quattro does:
The Syncro Heresy
