The St Has Been Given A Challenge!

[The Dark Knight]

Been discussing the ST with my uncle who likes it and says we should find a track where we can race our cars. He admits the ST would maul his car in the corners but his car would maul the ST on the straights. So we need to find a suitable place in due course but just how far behind would the ST be in a drag race?

Details and comparison of figures:

Audi A4 Saloon

3.0 TDi TDV Quattro SE Auto

1.6 petrol turbo vs 3.0 diesel turbo

180bhp/200bhp vs 229bhp

215lb ft vs 332lb ft

1,163kg vs 1,665kg

0-60: 6.9 vs 7.1

Top speed: 139mph vs 151mph

So on paper it's a crushing victory for the Audi. However, I don't think we will find a track long enough to exploit top speeds.

An observation I want to add for you to consider is that having owned a diesel auto, unless you opt to change gear yourself (my uncle just uses full auto as a rule) they hold onto a gear for too long when going for it and diesels are flat at high revs.

Also, the Audi is half a tonne heavier! Will weight play a key role in a drag race? I must say that having been in his A4, it feels damn fast!

So please fire away with your thoughts.

[GrumpyTrucker]

No idea regarding the actual race but regarding tacks, depending on the setup on the day, what about Oulton Park's International Circuit on a Track Day? Long straight out of the hairpin up Hilltop, and if the chicane isn't being used a pretty straight run straight up Knickerbrook, clay Hill towards Druids.

[The Dark Knight]

Nice! Thanks for that. These days aren't exactly cheap from looking on google so perhaps I can persuade him to pay lol

[GrumpyTrucker]

True. Think they're £199 each :(

But that is all day so not bad I guess.

[BigRog]

Dont forget your insurance premium, you never know ! :)

[kristriple]

I haven't been in a fiesta ST yet, but my mum drives a 3.0Tdi Quattro A4 manual. I think there are different powered models? I'm sure hers is closer to 6.7 secs on the 0-60.

The fiesta will honestly keep up with it in the corners?

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[The Dark Knight]

I haven't been in a fiesta ST yet, but my mum drives a 3.0Tdi Quattro A4 manual. I think there are different powered models? I'm sure hers is closer to 6.7 secs on the 0-60.

The fiesta will honestly keep up with it in the corners?

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The manual version is quoted 6.7 but the auto a bit slower at 7.1. The ST is amazing through the corners and the problem with the Audi in my opinion is weight. Half a tonne more must make some difference and it's the SE so it doesn't have sports suspension unlike the S-Line model. Carrying that much weight into a sharp turn must result in some wallowing and understeer me thinks

[kristriple]

Not my mum's one......

The Quattro is amazing! Sure, it will slide if it's pushed hard enough, but it would grip long after any front wheel drive I've ever been in. I haven't been in the st yet though ;)

The auto would slow it down a fair bit. Randomly changes down mid corner and generally just upsets the cars balance.

I'd love to be proven wrong though!

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[The Dark Knight]

Grip can only do so much against the laws of physics. The ST is light and frankly amazing through the corners so if a pro driver dived into a sharp left turn in the ST at x mph and that was pushing the ST to its limits, he isn't going to be able to match that speed in the Audi due to the sheer weight and lack of sports suspension.

Interestingly, an equally matched (in power) Audi A4 Quattro and BMW 3 series on a track would see a victory for the Beemer if it is dry. This is because on a dry track, 4WD is slower.

[kristriple]

Grip can only do so much against the laws of physics. The ST is light and frankly amazing through the corners so if a pro driver dived into a sharp left turn in the ST at x mph and that was pushing the ST to its limits, he isn't going to be able to match that speed in the Audi due to the sheer weight and lack of sports suspension.

Interestingly, an equally matched (in power) Audi A4 Quattro and BMW 3 series on a track would see a victory for the Beemer if it is dry. This is because on a dry track, 4WD is slower.

I'm not convinced. When you "dive" into a corner with the Quattro it won't slide easily. You can literally keep your foot to the floor and the car sorts the rest out for you. We'll have to agree to disagree I suppose.

Anyway! Your biased! Lol

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[The Dark Knight]

I am biased but my uncle is biased towards his A4 but concedes the ST will take corners better. Team RS developed the ST so it's going to be pretty special. The Quattro can't amend the laws of physics I'm afraid. Bearing in mind it doesn't have sports suspension either!

It is also a very nose heavy car so planting it through a sharp corner whilst weighing 1.6 tonnes means you are likely to understeer to just beyond Jupiter.

[The Dark Knight]

P.S, I was curious about how far behind I'd be in a drag race, my uncle and I agreed about corners

[kristriple]

Like I said, there is no understeer in the one I've driven. Without pushing it to the dangerous point, obviously.

Keep us posted tho.

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[The Dark Knight]

Will do. I don't think I will push the limits anyway as it's my pride and joy lol. If Ford handed me an ST to use with permission to go bonkers then I would lol

[alexp999]

Weight won't make a difference for a drag race in this instance with the Audi being a diesel it will have more than enough pulling power. Being a quattro it could get a better start as it can put more power down, that said petrols tend to pick up a bit quicker as they are lighter.

It would also depend how quick you are at gear changes and perfecting a good launch. Being an auto you could just plant your right foot in the Audi and let the car do the rest.

[Loz Cheung]

I think for drag purposes, the outright muscle of the Audi might pip it - sure, it has fewer revs to wring out but i cant ignore that torque figure and its early delivery.

Granted, it is a bit of a heavy car but for a straight line drag i think this would benefit its traction - plus, in conjunction with its quattro system - i think it would at least get it off the line better!

Are these Audis on a DSG box too?

If this was the regular 2.0 TDi model, i would be a lot more confident in the ST. But this is all on paper, i would like to request a video please!

[MattDRX]

The ST may win up to 60 but the audi will soon !Removed! past it, again the most key factor here is driver ability. If one person doesn't have the faintest clue about track driving and only played forza etc it's no competition.

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[The Dark Knight]

The ST may win up to 60 but the audi will soon !Removed! past it, again the most key factor here is driver ability. If one person doesn't have the faintest clue about track driving and only played forza etc it's no competition.Sent from my SM-N9005 using Ford OC mobile app

That should give me the edge then. Done a couple of track days in a Ferrari 360 and an Aston Martin DB9. On both occasions I got top marks from the instructor on my performance. He said the majority of guys don't get a high score because they turn up thinking they know it all already. The pros know what they're on about so the idea is to listen to them lol.

On the same day, I paid for 5 laps in an Ariel Atom that was driven by a pro driver. My god it was a butt clenching experience and the G generated through the bends actually hurt.

[Ecoboost125]

A couple of years ago I went to Thruxton, drove Porsche Cayman & Lamborghini Aventador, I did it for the Lambo but came out of it loving the Porsche and the Porsche was a manual.

I had a few introductory laps in Porsche then drove for about 3-4 laps and then again 3-4 laps in the Lambo, I think that was about £370ish of the top of my head.

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