What difference does it make?
The transmission, transfer gears and differential combine to intelligently transfer torque between the rear wheels. They change it almost completely depending on the driving situation and provide Flexibility and Stability.
Audi
The transmission, transfer gears and differential combine to intelligently transfer torque between the rear wheels. They change it almost completely depending on the driving situation and provide Flexibility and Stability.
Audi
View of the assembled differential.
Audi
View of the assembled differential.
Audi
Illustration showing how torque is controlled on the rear axle.
Audi
Illustration showing how torque is controlled on the rear axle.
Audi
View of the assembled differential.
Audi
Illustration showing how torque is controlled on the rear axle.
Audi
Like all performance Audis, the RS5 uses Quattro all-wheel drive, where a limited-slip center differential splits power between 70/30 and 15/85 front to rear.
We’ve enjoyed torque converter rear differentials on previous Audi RS models – the ability to send more power to individual rear wheels when needed has played a big part in people liking the cars. RS3, TT-RS, R8etc. The rear differential on these cars uses a clutch for each wheel to achieve this, but for the new RS5, Audi Sport decided to develop something new internally.
It’s new setup is called Dynamic Torque Control, and it ditches hydraulic clutches in favor of an 8kW, 40Nm electric motor (also powered by a 400V traction battery) and some planetary gearing. An electric motor resides on one side of the axle and applies torque to the sun gear running on the other side. This sun gear operates on planetary gears, then fixed sun gears connected to an open differential. It can add or subtract torque from the ring gear to half a shaft for a split of up to 1,475 lb-ft (2,000 Nm) across the axle, or send it back through the open differential for a straight 50:50 split. Driven by an electric motor, the differential will react in just 15 milliseconds, putting the car in neutral or allowing it to oversteer, depending on the driving mode.
Split personalities
Control can be neutral or extreme.
Tobias Sagmeister/Audi
Control can be neutral or extreme.
Tobias Sagmeister/Audi
It helps when you don’t have to pay for your own tires.
Tobias Sagmeister/Audi
It helps when you don’t have to pay for your own tires.
Tobias Sagmeister/Audi
The RS5 was very easy to slide and hold.
Tobias Sagmeister/Audi
The RS5 was very easy to slide and hold.
Tobias Sagmeister/Audi
It helps when you don’t have to pay for your own tires.
Tobias Sagmeister/Audi
The RS5 was very easy to slide and hold.
Tobias Sagmeister/Audi
Driving on the road in Balanced, Comfort or even Dynamic, you’ll never notice how clever the rear torque distribution is. The weather was pretty terrible for most of my ride in the RS5, with a mix of rain and late May snow at altitude. Despite wearing wide-spring tires on 21-inch wheels and all that power and torque, its demeanor was never anything other than locked-in and stable on the road. So it really is an all-weather performance car, as the fastest Audis always are.
