How does Quattro differ from Mercedes-Benz 4-Matic?

[SlvrB6Turbo]

Is it a Haldex system like the Volvo, or is it something different?

Without being too biased, which one would you say is better? I got into a pretty heated debate with the Mercedes-Benz manager defending the Quattro as being "The Best AWD System". He strongly disagreed saying that Benz's was much more advanced. Any input?

[Vortec4800]

I don't really know much about how the 4Matic system works, but I've never heard great (or bad for that matter) things about it. I think it's just another run of the mill nothing special AWD system, like many other companies offer. I think it's a Haldex system, but I honestly don't know if that is right or not. Out here you never see 4Matic cars around, but you always see Quattro cars. If that tells you anything right there...

[SlvrB6Turbo]

Originally posted by Vortec4800
I don't really know much about how the 4Matic system works, but I've never heard great (or bad for that matter) things about it. I think it's just another run of the mill nothing special AWD system, like many other companies offer. I think it's a Haldex system, but I honestly don't know if that is right or not. Out here you never see 4Matic cars around, but you always see Quattro cars. If that tells you anything right there...

Keep in mind that MOST Quattro cars, don't cost as much as a 4-Matic Mercedes. Also, Audi is obviously known for their AWD systems, whereas Mercedes is built on luxury.

[Vortec4800]

Originally posted by SlvrB6Turbo
Keep in mind that MOST Quattro cars, don't cost as much as a 4-Matic Mercedes. Also, Audi is obviously known for their AWD systems, whereas Mercedes is built on luxury.

This is true - but if the 4Matic system was supposedly so good, you'd think more people would be buying cars with the system on it. Many of the people who buy a Mercedes don't really care how much it costs, and if something is supposed to be really good they'll throw it on anyway.

Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that the "other" choice for Audi is FWD and the "other" choice for Benz is RWD. I would rather have RWD than FWD, and would probably rather have RWD than AWD.

[SlvrB6Turbo]

Originally posted by Vortec4800
This is true - but if the 4Matic system was supposedly so good, you'd think more people would be buying cars with the system on it. Many of the people who buy a Mercedes don't really care how much it costs, and if something is supposed to be really good they'll throw it on anyway.

Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that the "other" choice for Audi is FWD and the "other" choice for Benz is RWD. I would rather have RWD than FWD, and would probably rather have RWD than AWD.

Good point my friend.

[rlebwohl]

As for 4MATIC....I work at MD dealer....The 4Matic is a great system and works very well in the c,e, and s class. When it snows, they push right through it, the c-class does better then the e and the s class. I believe it is 50/50 also. And they do sell, we sell tons of c-4matics and e-4matics.
My dad has a 03 S430 4Matic...he says it handles better then his previous X5 and Rover did in the snow, even though he just ordered an A8.

[Vortec4800]

Originally posted by rlebwohl
As for 4MATIC....I work at MD dealer....The 4Matic is a great system and works very well in the c,e, and s class. When it snows, they push right through it, the c-class does better then the e and the s class. I believe it is 50/50 also. And they do sell, we sell tons of c-4matics and e-4matics.
My dad has a 03 S430 4Matic...he says it handles better then his previous X5 and Rover did in the snow, even though he just ordered an A8.

I don't doubt they're good in bad weather, and I never said they were a bad system - just that if you don't have a reason to buy one because of weather you don't see any around.

[HighPSI]

quattro is just a branding name, so its awd torsen system isnt gonna be any different than any other brand of vehicle that uses a torsen system, im not sure what type mb uses, but 4matic is also just a branding name, and if its a torsen also, then its the same as audi's quattro...therefore if there is any difference between the two in terms of handling, bad weather handling, etc..then the difference is only because of differing vehicle dynamics other than the awd

[jones3000]

it's just better. [:D]

[A4 - Oh Snap]

all i have to say is quattro better be better than whatever Ford is using in their Five Hundred

[bbaudi382]

i think audi's quattro has the ability to send power to individual wheels while most other AWD systems only send it to the front or rear.

meaning quattro systems can send say 40% of the hp to the driver rear wheels during a hard right corner while other awd systems can only split front/rear, not individually to all 4 wheels.

[vaguy]

My father had an E320 4Matic and an E430 4Matic i found they were both great in the snow and a ll bad weather conditions. It's hard to say what's better.

[Crazy Quattro]

Originally posted by bbaudi382
i think audi's quattro has the ability to send power to individual wheels while most other AWD systems only send it to the front or rear.

meaning quattro systems can send say 40% of the hp to the driver rear wheels during a hard right corner while other awd systems can only split front/rear, not individually to all 4 wheels.

thought quattro was side to side? [confused]

[AWDTurboLuvr]

Originally posted by bbaudi382
i think audi's quattro has the ability to send power to individual wheels while most other AWD systems only send it to the front or rear.

meaning quattro systems can send say 40% of the hp to the driver rear wheels during a hard right corner while other awd systems can only split front/rear, not individually to all 4 wheels.

There's a limit to how much power the "Quattro" system can send. I believe it's around 80% to one wheel. Subaru's AWD is similar as well as it can send power front and back, and also side to side. Nissan's ATTESA-ETS is electronically monitored (roughly 100 times a second) and is alot faster in reacting to slip or change in traction. I believe it is set up to be full RWD until traction is lost and then it switches to a 50:50 F/R ratio. However, it can only send power side to side to the rear wheels, but then again, that's why it can drift fairly well for an AWD vehicle (Skyline/G35).

[jusking]

from what I understand, and yes I am a newbie....but when I pulled the trigger on my CPO 3.0 Q....the dealer was really touting the quattro, he said the difference between Audi's quattro and your other run of the mill AWDs is that the power delivered to the wheels are distributed EVENLY and that if at any point in time, only one wheel has traction, 75% of the power will go to that one wheel. Not familiar with all the jargon so excuse my liberal use of the word power. You have to ask yourself also, why would Audi's be banned from Rally if their system worked in the same way as other competing models.....just my .02...

[hbamark]

You should ask the service manager what it costs to maintain the vehicle. With what I spent on repairing both my CLK430 and E320 4 matic, I could have leased two A4's for the entire year (no shi* on this one). It's estimated that an MB cost $2500/year to maintain when out of warranty. I don't care if the car could pull 1million G's on the track, I wouldn't buy another MB.

[wiszmaster]

especially not now since they dropped their FULL SERVICE.

[hbamark]

Originally posted by wiszmaster
especially not now since they dropped their FULL SERVICE.

Got that right. Don't buy one without starmark, too.

[lawong]

Okay.. for those that don't know...

Audi Quattro for longitudally mounted engines is designed like this:

Front/Rear diffs: Open + EDL
Center diff: Torsen

Torque Split (F/R): 50/50
Max Torque under slip to any axle: 66%

Center is purely mechanical. Center will automatically transfer power to the axle with the most grip. A computer will take care of transferring power left to right.

4Matic for Mercedes:
Front/Rear diffs: Open + EDL
Center diff: Open + EDL

Torque Split (F/R): 40/60
Max Torque to any one axle: (?) unknown.

The system is completely electronic. The AWD system is a reactive system which needs to detect wheel spin before the 4ETS (electronic AWD system) will apply braking and transfer torque accordingly. While it might be quick.. its still dependent on electrical systems.

Is it better than Audi's Quattro? On paper it sounds good. But then again, so does the Haldex v2 that's on the Volvo's. All in all... the Quattro Gen 4 is the most proven AWD system out there.

Personally, I would like to have Quattro Gen 3, but that was only available on one Audi. The only difference on that particular version was that it was a torsen center and a torsen rear differential. Can anyone guess which one?

[F16HTON]

S2 perhaps?

[flynn]

great info leonard!

like he said, the 4-matic is electronic. the disadvantage over mech systems like quattro are slow reaction time. some 4-matic's (not sure if this is true of all...) are part time only as well.

here's some great info on all kinds of AWD systems:
http://www.autozine.org/technical_school/traction/tech_traction_4wd_2.htm

[lawong]

Well its not so much that mechanical systems are bad. But most of the mechanical systems transfer power based on wheel speed. TorSen (by nature) measures an uneven distribution of torque and transfer power accordingly.

[SlvrB6Turbo]

Originally posted by lawong
Okay.. for those that don't know...

Audi Quattro for longitudally mounted engines is designed like this:

Front/Rear diffs: Open + EDL
Center diff: Torsen

Torque Split (F/R): 50/50
Max Torque under slip to any axle: 66%

Center is purely mechanical. Center will automatically transfer power to the axle with the most grip. A computer will take care of transferring power left to right.

4Matic for Mercedes:
Front/Rear diffs: Open + EDL
Center diff: Open + EDL

Torque Split (F/R): 40/60
Max Torque to any one axle: (?) unknown.

The system is completely electronic. The AWD system is a reactive system which needs to detect wheel spin before the 4ETS (electronic AWD system) will apply braking and transfer torque accordingly. While it might be quick.. its still dependent on electrical systems.

Is it better than Audi's Quattro? On paper it sounds good. But then again, so does the Haldex v2 that's on the Volvo's. All in all... the Quattro Gen 4 is the most proven AWD system out there.

Personally, I would like to have Quattro Gen 3, but that was only available on one Audi. The only difference on that particular version was that it was a torsen center and a torsen rear differential. Can anyone guess which one?

If I had to guess I would have to say the Audi UR Quattro Coupes from the early 80's... AKA KILLA BEES?

[flynn]

Originally posted by lawong
Well its not so much that mechanical systems are bad. But most of the mechanical systems transfer power based on wheel speed. TorSen (by nature) measures an uneven distribution of torque and transfer power accordingly.

what i meant was that mech systems have an advantage over electronic because of their quicker reaction time - ie. they remove that extra delay when a sensor needs to see the uneven wheel speed and then try's to compensate.

as i undersatnd it, torsen doesn't only provide a faster reaction to traction conditions, but also reacts more smoothly - has anyone heard complaints about haldex systems literally 'kicking in' in mid corner, upseting the car?

[Tinman]

I had a 4matic before I had my quattro, and I was quite fond of it. Now granted, it was the previous generation of it, so it has probably gotten better, but I threw a lot at the car and it pulled through all of it. Now, if a 4wd system with luxury is that important, you'd obvious go with Audi, because that's what they're known for. But if luxury was your #1 concern, but you also wanted a 4wd system that was quite competent, I would say the MB would be perfectly acceptable.

L8