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Vaughan on the Ice Track
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Audi has been building their all-wheel-drive 'Quattro' models for thirty years now and each year seem to put new refinements into the system. They recently sent their latest versions to an ice track near Mt. Tremblant, Quebec and turned Michael Vaughan and a few other journalists loose.
Michael Vaughan / Autos.CTV.ca
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Audi has sold nearly 3.5 million Quattros since introducing them in 1980. Quattro probably saved the company as it transformed the Audi brand from 'boring' to 'exciting.' They brought the latest to Mount Tremblant.
Michael Vaughan / Autos.CTV.ca
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You know Audi's taking this seriously as Rupert Stadler, Chairman of the Management Board and Chief Executive Officer of Audi, flew in from Germany. Rupert was the first guy in the parking lot in the morning and the first one to tear off to the race track.
Michael Vaughan / Autos.CTV.ca
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We headed to Mecaglisse which is a motorcycle race course in the summer but frozen over as an ice track in winter. Audi brought the latest Quattro models, some of which are only sold in Europe.
Michael Vaughan / Autos.CTV.caMichael Vaughan / Autos.CTV.ca
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The first one I drove was the RS5 which is the souped up version of the A5. This one has a V8 cranking out 450 horsepower. The only thing that kept me on the track was the Quattro all-wheel-drive plus a sophisticated stability control system which shifts power from wheel to wheel as needed. It was actually possible to keep the car under control at ridiculous speeds on ice.
Michael Vaughan / Autos.CTV.ca
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The always helpful David Booth of the National Post informed me that I was only getting close enough to the apex in the corners to be 'at least in the same time zone.'
Michael Vaughan / Autos.CTV.ca
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If you want to know where Quattro got its start, it's this 'German Jeep' known as the Iltis. It was built at the Audi plant for Volkswagen beginning in 1978 for the German military. It has a 75 horsepower 4 cylinder engine and a crude four wheel drive system.
Michael Vaughan / Autos.CTV.ca
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I drove the Iltis out in the woods and found it could really handle the snow and rough terrain. It has a body style like a boat and apparently goes through water as well as it does through snow.
Michael Vaughan / Autos.CTV.ca
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This was the first ever all wheel drive built by Audi and it gave them the idea that something a lot more powerful with all wheel drive might be good for rallying.
Michael Vaughan / Autos.CTV.ca
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The first Quattro was introduced in 1980 and it quickly turned into this - the Audi Sport Quattro with an inline 5-cylinder engine producing 470 hp. It was pretty much unbeatable. This is the actual car that Walter Rohrl drove to many victories. This car is usually in the Audi museum but they brought it over here to show off the history. Some museum piece! It tore around the track at incredible speeds.
Michael Vaughan / Autos.CTV.ca
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This is Frank Sprongl drifting across the ice. Along with brother Dan they've has won an amazing five Canadian Rally Championship titles and three North American Rally Cup championship titles. This is their Audi Quattro A2 group B rally car.
Michael Vaughan / Autos.CTV.ca
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I got strapped in beside Frank for a couple of terrifying laps of the long track.
Michael Vaughan / Autos.CTV.ca
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Audi's business is putting rich executives in luxury cars with an all-wheel drive system that will get them out of a snowy parking lot at the country club. In fact Quattro will do a great deal more.
Michael Vaughan / Autos.CTV.ca
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