Very interesting comments, Poverty...
First of all, you're such a car gadget freak I don't know whether you're kidding or being serious about the remote control of the Haldex coupling.
It does exist, the latest gen 4 haldez controller can be bought with an optional remote. As I understand there are 3 modes.
Stock
ECO
Race
Stock obviously being stock, eco being majorily fwd, albeit the rear will still kick in if slip is detected. Race is a 30-70 split to the rear. Its said that in the race mode one can do donuts in the TTRS.
The cost for the controller and remote is about 1300usd.
I havent got the race controller yet, but watch this space
This is very interesting to me for a couple of reasons. First of all, to say that you can feel the power shifting around is something that made me think. I am of the impression [bearing in mind that the only recent Haldex experience I've had was in a Freelander 2 TD4!] that perhaps the sensation of power being moved around is exacerbated as a result of the significant gains in torque and power that arise from your tuning exploits? Secondly, did you feel this equally before you had the car chipped?
To say that Torsen quattro is better than Haldex quattro (whilst ultimately true) is being a little unfair on the latter system - after all, it's only doing what it was designed to do - when one has to consider how quickly it does react to torque overwhelming front axle grip and then engaging the rear wheels. With 420 foot pound of torque, that coupling's got its work cut out for it!
Its hard to say really how my tuning has effected the haldex, as I was stock when the UK was still pretty much dry, and when I did start to add the extra power its constantly wet and cold.
I did take the car to the drag strip when it had stock power levels, tried a 5000rpm launch and basically I wasnt moving anywhere quickly, the front wheels where spinning like mad and I was getting wheel hop. At the time it felt like the rear wheels werent doing much, but really hard to say as I had the adrenaline of trying to beat the evo next to me.
Generally I had low expectations of the haldex system due to what people had said about the system previously, ie mainly being a fwd car with a bit of rwd input, but I have to say that compared to my old FWD cupra the difference is night and day. Sometimes the system doesnt transfer the power how I would have liked it, for example powering out of roundabouts can sometimes be reminescent of a FWD affair of a lower scale in which the car understeers, but then on other occasions the car will send more power to the rear wheels when powering out of the same roundabout and you can exit it sorta sideways.
Again comparing it to the RS4 is hard, its alot heavier, less power without having a massive dollop of torque thoughout the whole rev range.
I would say the rs4 is more predictable though, non of the jekyll and hyde stuff of the haldex. Powering out of the roundabout the car will always generally behave in the same way, unlike the TT which sometimes understeers, and can sometimes oversteer.
Launching both cars and the RS4 always seems to get the better of the TT in the wet aswell, the rs4 seems drama free, whilst the TT the esp cuts in, which isnt noticeable at all, but you know its happening, because if you did that same launch with esp off all 4 wheels will spin. This could be cause by all the extra power ive added to that motor though. What also might be worth noting though is that even on moderate launches, with the rs4 you will smell some clutch, something I have never got with the TTRS, unless I do numerous back to back launches.
TBH I like both systems, if I had to choose one car for gravel and grass work though it would be the RS4.
I look forward to adding the haldex race controller to my car, it should get rid of any inconsistencies, and its said to make the haldex system react even quicker.
