What is Audi Quattro AWD technology, how did it come about and how does it work? The Quattro is a revolutionary all-wheel drive system designed by Audi in the early 1980s.. It was first used in cars as a full-time four-wheel drive system.. Since then, it has inspired other car manufacturers, especially Audi’s rivals.. The standard version, with its locked differential system, actively activated all four wheels mechanically.. While the standard version is used in Sedan models such as A4, A5, it is also used in SUVs such as Q5, Q7.. Apart from the standard models, Audi achieved very successful results in WRC and Le Mans races with its Quattro technology.. In this article, we will answer the questions of what is Audi Quattro AWD technology and how it works, and examine its old and new systems.

What is Quattro and How Does It Work?

Quattro technology, which we have simply mentioned above, is a permanent all-wheel drive system.. If the wheels at the ends of one axle get out of control and the vehicle skids, the drive torque is automatically diverted to the other axle via the torque-directed center differential.. The locked differential, located in the middle of the vehicle’s chassis, transfers the torque distribution to other components at a certain rate while driving.. In vehicles equipped with the latest generation Quattro technology, 40% torque is distributed to the front axle and 60% to the rear axle.. But this torque distribution ratio is not constant. These torque distribution ratios change according to the conditions of the ground on which the vehicle is driving, for example when the front wheels do not provide sufficient grip. Thus, with variable torque ratios, the vehicle can move without interruption by providing a better grip.. But it should be noted that there is a certain limit to the distribution of torque transferred to the rear or front wheels.. These limits are 70% to 30% and 85% to 15%.. It provides this ratio change with the ESP sensor in all modern vehicles of today.

First Quattro Systems

Distributing torque between the front and rear wheels in the first Quattro AWD (all-wheel-drive) systems Mechanically, three different differentials are used for. With this system, the driver was locking the center differential to lock the front and rear differentials via the vacuum operated switch.. In this way, the vehicle could turn at the same speed without slipping in corners.. Normally the differentials are fully open to compensate for the difference between the rotational speeds of all four wheels of the vehicle.. When the vehicle is going around a sharp bend, the inner wheel will turn much less than the outer wheel.. By locking the rear differential, an equal amount of power is transferred to the wheels that drive the movement on slippery floors or surfaces with poor traction.. Thus, the adhesion of the vehicle to the ground is carried to the upper limits in every condition.. As the front wheels turn the car, it has no locked differential.

In the first major update of Quattro technology towards the end of the 1980s, the Torsen (Limited-slip differential) replaced the manually operated center differential.. Torsen automatically split the power in half and distributes it to the front and rear wheels.. The rear differential lock was still present in the vehicles.. Today, large vehicles can have a rear Torsen differential.. The center Torsen differential housed a double helical planetary gear.. The gears were held in tight-fitting pockets inside the enclosure and were threaded together through the spur gears at the ends.. Thus, the spur gears prevented the planetary gears from rotating in the same direction.. However, when an axle was going to lose traction, spur gears helped transfer torque to the wheels with traction.

Today’s Quattro AWD Technology

Audi’s all-wheel drive system, how quickly it responds and based on how much power and maximum grip and performance should be provided to each wheel. It offers five unique Quattro technologies based on the same basic principle.

• Quattro AWD system with MLB evo architecture (8-speed triptonic, torque converter automatic transmission and 7-speed S Tronici dual-clutch automatic transmission)

• Quattro AWD system with ultra technology (7 speed S tronic) using MLB evo architecture

• Quattro AWD system for transverse applications using MQB architecture

• Quattro AWD system for Audi R8 using MSB architecture

• E-tron, electric Quattro AWD system using electric motor on each axle

Modern Quattro System

Basically, the Quattro AWD system developed by Audi for its modern medium and large cars works similarly to previous systems with three differentials.. In today’s vehicles it is equipped electronically as well as mechanically and distributes torque to the wheels according to traction and stability control, steering angle sensors, yaw sensors, wheel sensors and weight sensors.. The default power delivery is 40% to 60% front-to-rear and provides up to 70% of the front wheels or 85% of a vehicle’s rear power. In addition, the traction force of the vehicle is assisted by braking each wheel individually with electronic wheel-selective torque control.

Torque control is achieved through an intelligent software function of stability control.. On S and RS models, the rear sport differential can overspeed the inner or outer wheel. It also sends almost all the power from one rear wheel to the other in a hard corner, providing more stable handling.. This situation is known as torque vector in the car world and it gives Audi vehicles a great advantage in both passenger cars and motorsports cars.. While doing this, we also took a look at the hardware of Quattro technology when it was first developed, and then we discussed the hardware of today.. When Quattro AWD technology first came out, it had no rival in the market, but today, Audi’s biggest rival, BMW, developed xDrive technology.. In fact, this is a very normal situation, as the world of cars is getting its share from technological developments every day.. The responsibility of other brands here will be to benefit from technological opportunities and developments and make innovations that will make their brands different.