The all-wheel drive Audi RS 3 will get the drift

The upcoming Audi RS 3 hatchback and sedan will feature an electronic drift mode, which has been tested in the North Loop of the Nürburgring. 

The racetrack was the chosen test ground "to ensure that the new technology meets the wishes of sporty drivers on the racetrack as well as customers looking for comfort in day-to-day driving," Audi said. That also included two continual runs of 8,000 kilometers each.

When engaged, the feature also known as torque rear mode, can send an estimated 1,750Nm of torque to either the left or right rear wheel, whichever is taking the most load during a corner.

 

It does this trough the engagement of two independent axle-mounted clutches. As a result, traction is broken and the tail swings out. 

The RS 3 is predicted to come with a turbocharged 2.5-liter five-cylinder petrol engine, which will send 500Nm to all four corners of the car through Audi's Quattro all-wheel drive system.

This allows the RS 3 to sprint from zero to 100kph  in a claimed 3.8 seconds, on the way to a top speed of 290kph.

"All-wheel drive cars have great tracking stability, but they tend to understeer at the very upper limits," development and test engineer for chassis Frank Stippler said. 

"We were looking for a solution that would minimize that behavior. The torque splitter distributes more weight onto the rear axle. With it, the car develops a driving dynamic that oversteers.

And that’s where the Audi drive select system comes in, which helps meter that tendency based on use, road conditions and individual preferences," he added. 

Photos from Audi

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