Advice on driving a powerful car, when unused to it
Discussion
the A6 is a very big and heavy car with a very big engine in front of the wheels, don't expect it to react like a little nimble hot hatch
smoothness is key (brakes/steering/throttle) when lobbing so much weight about
generally with most 4WD cars slow in fast out of corners works well, keep the 4wd loaded as you turn in (trailing throttle?) and give it beans on the apex and the 4wd should fire you out of the corner
just build up to it slowly
clarkson has a stab at explaining it here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4CfWdoSOTk&fea...
smoothness is key (brakes/steering/throttle) when lobbing so much weight about
generally with most 4WD cars slow in fast out of corners works well, keep the 4wd loaded as you turn in (trailing throttle?) and give it beans on the apex and the 4wd should fire you out of the corner
just build up to it slowly
clarkson has a stab at explaining it here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4CfWdoSOTk&fea...
Edited by Dave Hedgehog on Saturday 7th April 07:39
That's a decent step up - Mundano to RS6
My first suggestion would be to ensure that car is well set up and is running good quality tyres. I have a similar amount of power going through my front wheels and I don't find traction an issue in the dry. With 4WD, you really shouldn't have a problem.
As has been said above, the Audi is a big heavy car - it'll still be phenomenally quick, but it won't really be chuckable. Driving it quickly will probably take a bit more thought than with a smaller car - you don't really want that extra weight working against you - just plan a bit earlier and don't make sudden, excessive moves mid-corner.
Having said all that, to lose an RS6 on public roads would be pretty spectacular - you'd have to be going at a fairly indecent speed to bin it.
One thing to remember - 4WD only gives you extra traction - it doesn't give you any more grip.
My first suggestion would be to ensure that car is well set up and is running good quality tyres. I have a similar amount of power going through my front wheels and I don't find traction an issue in the dry. With 4WD, you really shouldn't have a problem.
As has been said above, the Audi is a big heavy car - it'll still be phenomenally quick, but it won't really be chuckable. Driving it quickly will probably take a bit more thought than with a smaller car - you don't really want that extra weight working against you - just plan a bit earlier and don't make sudden, excessive moves mid-corner.
Having said all that, to lose an RS6 on public roads would be pretty spectacular - you'd have to be going at a fairly indecent speed to bin it.
One thing to remember - 4WD only gives you extra traction - it doesn't give you any more grip.
My 2p worth:
• Build up to it gradually - don't try to be flat out on your first day in the car.
• Accept that the more powerful the car, the less often you can use it - opportunities for full throttle may be rare, and if you're expecting that it'll be less frustrating.
• I'd guess that the power won't be so much of a problem, more the speed that you'll be approaching hazards. Remember that by the time you've completed that multi-car overtake you'll be going very quickly indeed, and you'll need to lose it before reaching the next bend.
• Get some training - Roadcraft-based stuff will help you in getting the speed right for the situation.
• Build up to it gradually - don't try to be flat out on your first day in the car.
• Accept that the more powerful the car, the less often you can use it - opportunities for full throttle may be rare, and if you're expecting that it'll be less frustrating.
• I'd guess that the power won't be so much of a problem, more the speed that you'll be approaching hazards. Remember that by the time you've completed that multi-car overtake you'll be going very quickly indeed, and you'll need to lose it before reaching the next bend.
• Get some training - Roadcraft-based stuff will help you in getting the speed right for the situation.
I was going to say that with the Mondeo, its chassis could cope with much more powerful engines than the 1.8 so it's probably pretty invincible.
However presumeably the S6 will have a lot of electronics to keep all the power under control so you'd have to be being completely ridiculous with it to lose control. I tried to power slide my Merc around a greasy roundabout and the car just said "get lost"!
However presumeably the S6 will have a lot of electronics to keep all the power under control so you'd have to be being completely ridiculous with it to lose control. I tried to power slide my Merc around a greasy roundabout and the car just said "get lost"!
In all seriousness, the big heavy 4WD machine might want to push on in the corners at first and it'll feel uncomfortable. You can do stuff with your feet and your gearbox to ensure that you decelerate through the turn-in point and your in an appropriate gear for that speed.
Edited by HustleRussell on Saturday 7th April 12:43
Not in the same league but I had a 200BHP Quattro A3. Good advice above but one thing to watch is it's easy to get fooled into thinking you have more grip than you think because of the traction 4WD gives you.
Worth remembering it only works to help the acceleration, you have the same grip/braking as anything else - within the realms of big brakes and fat rubber that the S6 gives you.
ETA - oops - spotted I'd been beaten to it - but it's worth saying twice!
Worth remembering it only works to help the acceleration, you have the same grip/braking as anything else - within the realms of big brakes and fat rubber that the S6 gives you.
ETA - oops - spotted I'd been beaten to it - but it's worth saying twice!
Drive it like you stole it. You'll either survive, or not.
Alternatively, take it easy and test out how it handles/behaves somewhere away from traffic. Do you really need to ask? I had a ride on a Honda Fireblade on some interesting roads after a month or so's experience of riding a knackered 500 twin. That was a big step and no electronic aids, but even that had a throttle that could be modulated.
Alternatively, take it easy and test out how it handles/behaves somewhere away from traffic. Do you really need to ask? I had a ride on a Honda Fireblade on some interesting roads after a month or so's experience of riding a knackered 500 twin. That was a big step and no electronic aids, but even that had a throttle that could be modulated.
get yourself booked on a trackday asap.
nice safe environment and you can take it at your own pace and really learn how the car handles and delivers the power.
i went from a 2 litre 8 valve calibra to a 360 bhp 200sx which was a big enough step seeing as they only weigh around 1250 kilos and rwd with no traction controll (never driven rwd before) first chance i got i took it to a drift practice day to learn how to controll the back end if it stepped out it was a wise choice and helpped my confidence massivley.
nice safe environment and you can take it at your own pace and really learn how the car handles and delivers the power.
i went from a 2 litre 8 valve calibra to a 360 bhp 200sx which was a big enough step seeing as they only weigh around 1250 kilos and rwd with no traction controll (never driven rwd before) first chance i got i took it to a drift practice day to learn how to controll the back end if it stepped out it was a wise choice and helpped my confidence massivley.
Respect the car.
Too often someone comes a cropper and says "The car's too powerful" That's tosh, it's nothing to do withn the car, it's the driver. Knowing your own limitations is crutial. Walk before you can run, and slowly your confidence in your abilities and the car will increase.
To get the most/best out of the car at speed, take the advise already given and get yourself a track day some place. But don't go all out first time round. Work it up gradually... AND HAVE FUN.
Too often someone comes a cropper and says "The car's too powerful" That's tosh, it's nothing to do withn the car, it's the driver. Knowing your own limitations is crutial. Walk before you can run, and slowly your confidence in your abilities and the car will increase.
To get the most/best out of the car at speed, take the advise already given and get yourself a track day some place. But don't go all out first time round. Work it up gradually... AND HAVE FUN.
crocodile tears said:
You have to grab it by the tuff and show it whos boss..
Be aggressive as possible with the inputs - the more aggressive you are with the inputs, the faster you will learn
(one way of learning is crawling out upside down from the wreckage in a ditch
)
Be aggressive as possible with the inputs - the more aggressive you are with the inputs, the faster you will learn
(one way of learning is crawling out upside down from the wreckage in a ditch
)
Are these threads really real or a bit of spoofery by PH Towers...?
I have cars from different ends of the power/weight spectrum. The Smart gets WOT a lot (makes no difference to the speed, though), the Beemers only get WOT a few times every journey (usually when there's nothing between me and the horizon).
If it is your only car you'll get used to it. If it's not, the problem comes when you get in the lesser powered one. I have to plan to overtake a milkfloat in the Smart. Different story in the M.
Just take it easy to start with and progressively be more adventurous with the loud pedal.
If it is your only car you'll get used to it. If it's not, the problem comes when you get in the lesser powered one. I have to plan to overtake a milkfloat in the Smart. Different story in the M
.Just take it easy to start with and progressively be more adventurous with the loud pedal.
t...I think a big Audi would be a very costly car to run on track, the heavier a car is the more it will wear on it's suspension, brakes, tyres etc, and I think once the novelty of the speed on the straights wears off you will probably find it's not massively rewarding, and then you are onto a slippery slope towards buying a second car just for track use etc...
Personally I'd just forget the track days and use the money for a few driving holidays instead.
Personally I'd just forget the track days and use the money for a few driving holidays instead.
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