Does Audi's Quattro Work In Snow?

Maybe the point is that not every car is dependent on snow tires and at least in my area snows tires are a waste for the week you may need them. But either way one picture says a thousand words.

Type of snow tire, freshness of tire rubber, weight of vehicle, ice under snow dusting, the entrance velocity of each vehicle are all factors which dictate the success of going up this driveway! Thus the picture is meaningless. However, as a whole I think the Audi system is probably better! This is my opinion and experience though I could be wrong!

I would choose an XDrive BMW.

Some have said that the BMW in the picture is of the xi variety.

i live in NY and i can vouche for Quattro. many times have i seen bimmers turned in the opposite direction of flowing traffic and it has always made me glad that i own one. driving a bimmer is waaaaaay more fun on a dry road though.

This picture isn't even new...how can this be auto news?!

A few questions about the picture,

What are the conditions and age of each cars tires?
Does the BMW or Audi have a sport package (summer tires)?
Traction control on or off ?
Is the BMW XDrive for that matter the Audi a Quattro (RWD vs. FWD)

There is no information provided about either car except tail lights and tire marks. So it's just a picture and not proof of anything.

The statement "Often the decision between buying a BMW or an Audi comes down to preference between rear wheel drive or all wheel drive" is total bullshit cause if you want a BMW and AWD you don't have to go to Audi, I could buy the xDrive BMW and have a better handing car than the Audi at a better price.
I wanted AWD and it didn't have to be either BMW or Audi, so I went with a Subbie. ;)

You clearly have not seen an allroad anihilate an X5 xDrive in a snowy slope ... perhaps some research in YouTube might help.

I also do not understand most of the negative comments posted regarding unposted conditions (tire wear, slope, age of car, etc). Really? Based on the picture alone, i could also argue that it is just as likely that the BMW has snow tires and the Audi is a FWD with summer tires.

Only yesterday during our second snow of the season in Boston I caught countless BMWs plus numerous other brands get caugh on MINOR slopes when we didn't even have a dustin. This 1-series had to reverse her way down the MAIN boulevard because she could not make it up the hill. This is TYPICAL BMW. Add xDrive and it improves traction on some roads, but xDrive has lost countless times against quattro on steeper icy and snowy roads. For those that ski, like myself, I only drive the best, and that is AUDI quattro.

And if you think the Xdrive handles better than quattro, you are not only ignorant but stupid. This is why BMW is more than happy to see the Audi quattros being compared to their RWD cars and NOT their xDrive cars because they would be put to shame. Look at any BMW xDrive commercial when the car is in the snow and it will show it going 5 mph on flat roads. Look at the Audi commercial and you see WRC Champs, ski jump traction, etc. XDrive is for posers.

MeanVulcan-

What a load of misinformation, Saw the Youtube video years ago, it's a non-Xdrive bmw (model year 03 or 02) Xdrive has not lost every time to The Quattro in fact the only comparison I can come up with is Motor und Sport, and the BMW won. Motor und Sport praised the Xdrive using less traction control and more AWD to move the car. As far as Xdrive for poser, well it react faster, is more technologially advace and has the capalbity to move 100% of it power to either axle. Audi use AWD to enhance handling BMW you AWD to enhance traction. Oh by the way guess who is the world largest luxury seller of AWD cars, It's BMW. Stop drinking the Kool-Aid.

yes of course it works in the snow.

I'd take Subaru's or Mitsibishi's AWD system over both of them.

Audi Rules 2006 or 2009.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6518118248698454614#

One could consider a number of factors that may have caused one car to slip while the other didn't on the slope above but the fact remains that when you're driving on 4 patches of rubber each the size of your hand, that having twice as much traction to the powered wheels helps. I've driven in the Alps in winter in both in my 12 cylinder RWD 7-series and AWD Phaeton. Both are heavy cars with good winter tires but no question, the AWD system makes for a safer drive under snowy conditions. The Germans know that all season tires are a jack of all trades and master of none so most will have a separate set of wheels with tires for summer and for winter. US dealers tend to offer all season tires on most cars sold here. Since we seldom go over the rated tire speed limit on all seasons in the US they are probably adequate for the average driver but not necessary the best tire you can use under all conditions.