A8/S8 Next-Gen Audi A8 To Move To Rear-Wheel Drive 'MSB' Platform?

[Foxfire]

Well MQB based Audis (A3 and bellow) have a technically different awd system than MLB Audis (A4 and above), which is different still from the system employed in R8. Yet from a marketing perspective, all of them are called quattro. So if future large Audis adopt the new Porsche MSB architecture, past has indicated they can use the their awd system as well and still call it quattro. Most of the customers won't know the difference anyway. On the other hand MSB might be flexible enough to allow for different implementations of AWD. In that case Audi might choose to adopt/develop their own version, different from Porsche.

 

[Deckhook]

Audi's quattro system and Porsche's AWD are vastly different! It's not that easy to have a common platform and share the same AWD system, unless one of the two models adopts the other brand's system

I share that opinion and since this project is Porsche driven I can only see it using the Porsche system unless they jointly develop a new improved system.

 

[MarcinM]

Developing a unique Audi AWD system for A8 will serve no purpose and increase the overall development costs of the MSB platform project. I thus expect for Audi, Bentley and Porsche to use the same AWD system which will be chiefly developed by Porsche, as MSB is a Porsche driven development project.

 

[Deckhook]

Well MQB based Audis (A3 and bellow) have a technically different awd system than MLB Audis (A4 and above), which is different still from the system employed in R8. Yet from a marketing perspective, all of them are called quattro. So if future large Audis adopt the new Porsche MSB architecture, past has indicated they can use the their awd system as well and still call it quattro. Most of the customers won't know the difference anyway. On the other hand MSB might be flexible enough to allow for different implementations of AWD. In that case Audi might choose to adopt/develop their own version, different from Porsche.

Very true, 'quattro' is only Audi's trademark name for AWD and whilst I reckon both Porsche and Audi will use the same AWD system in this MSB platform the likelihood is that each brand will fine tune it's character to suit each ones brand values.

 

[Giannis]

Bob, I am a bit busy and will be back later today. Do you have time to explain the differences between Porsche's AWD and VAG's Quattro (as found in the A8)?

 

[Giannis]

Bob, I am a bit busy and will be back later today. Do you have time to explain the differences between Porsche's AWD and VAG's Quattro (as found in the A8)?

Ok, since I had this in my mind for a few days, let's take a look at these pictures at first:

1. Panamera:

2. A8:

Now tell me, what's the difference?

 

[Levi68]

Ok, since I had this in my mind for a few days, let's take a look at these pictures at first:

Now tell me, what's the difference?

Well I don't see any difference, concerning the hardware. Layout is the same also.

 

[Giannis]

Well I don't see any difference, concerning the hardware. Layout is the same also.

If you look closer, you will see that in the A8 diagrams, the front differential sits just between the front wheels, thus forcing the engine to sit far ahead. That's not the case in the Panamera, as the front driveshafts pass throught the crankcase, which means that the engine can be closer to the centre of the car (better weight distribution) and also lower (lower CoG).

It's obvious that the Panamera engine if it's not totally different to Audi's, it has been extensively modified, for the driveshafts to pass through the crankcase.

 

[Deckhook]

Internally I wonder whether Porsche will adopt Audi's crown gearing, that's where I see the greatest change coming. Also to have the shaft running so close to the crank (1mm I believe) is sure to cause issues of it's own besides cost.

 

[Deckhook]

Giannis, do you know what's the difference is in mm between the centre points of the drive shafts of the Panamera and current A8?

To me it looks to be about 140mm.

 

[Giannis]

Internally I wonder whether Porsche will adopt Audi's crown gearing, that's where I see the greatest change coming.

I'm not sure that will happen. Mercedes-Benz has a similar setup, like the Panamera, in the GLK. There's an increasing number of manufacturers who don't have a problem to pierce their crankcases!

Also to have the shaft running so close to the crank (1mm I believe) is sure to cause issues of it's own besides cost.

So what if the distance is 1mm? When talking about engine components, even a tenth of a millimetre is a huge distance and can lead to huge stresses for the engine components. As far as there's no lubrication problem, which there shouldn't be, due to the modern lubrication systems (with "pipes" running through the crankshaft, the rods and the pistons).

Giannis, do you know what's the difference is in mm between the centre points of the drive shafts of the Panamera and current A8?

To me it looks to be about 140mm.

Sorry, I don't know...