Last Saturday morning (3-10) it's clear, cold with light to no traffic.
Coming outa a little pissant town called "Kewaskum" (WI) on Hwy 45 going south I check the RV mirror and see an Audi screaming to catch-up.
I knew what he wanted.

As luck would have it we caught the last stop light before the 4 lane concrete roadway turns into a "freeway".
Thought when the light turned green he'd launch, but, I'd blow 'em away with my '06 Z51 MZ6.
Wrong.

That little SOB took off so fast I nearly dropped my drawers before remembering I had to stand on the pedal if I were to catch 'em.
Sure enough the rear end breaks loose, even with TC, so I MUST letup TO hook-up.
When I do get traction I pull even but by then am running outa RPMs, must shift.
I shifted quickly (not "speed shift) to 2nd & he takes a car length lead as I do so and dammit anyway my rearend breaks loose, again!

Let up, hook-up & this time rocket by to around 2 car lengths, before shutting down.
The clown flies past with a huge shit eatin' grin & I follow, around 250' behind.

I try to pull next to him (we're going about 70MPH) & he jack rabbits.
So I downshift to 3rd & let'er rip, shift to 4th & go some for 10 secs or so @ WOT.
Caught & passed him without any problem, but, checking my HUD I thought it was reading something over 160MPH.

Naturally I shut down immediately following knowing full well get clocked at that speed in WI means the car gets flatbedded to an impound lot & I go to jail. Directly to jail, do not pass "Go" & do not collect $200.
So while fun, no make that a mega-rush, it was dangerous if only from a legal standpoint.

This Audi had "A4" on the rearend, BUT, it also had some kind of red/black badging with a checkered flag, I guess, though I really couldn't read exactly what it said.
A German car aftermarket race car builder, like Lingenfelter or Callaway??
Anyone know WTF I came across?

Whatever it was done to this (4 cycl?) car made it gawd awful fast & I, impressed.
Still a kill's a kill & that was one killed Audi, once I caught 'em.

Turbo AWD....They are nice cars

Hmmm turbocharged AWD you say, eh?
That's a lot of power outa a 4 banger.
Amazing.

Obviously -- & unbeknownst to me -- there've been more than a couple enormous strides w/ turbocharger design from last I remember, that's for sure.
Not that there's anything wrong with turbos, either.
It's just that this thing was impressively fast outa the box, surprised the begebbers outa me.

The turbos I recall used to have to spool-up before any power would become available, & in the time a quarter mile race c/would often be over.

Sure explains why he was able to launch (like a V8) with no wheel spin, whatsoever.
While I just sat there & spun my tires.

Stock turbos no-a-days have hardly any turbo lag...they are just small. Some of them have variable angle fins on the turbo compressor...quicker spool like a small turbo but make power like big turbos

Some of those Audis are very fast. Chances are it was a hopped up 1.8 turbo - AWD. I have a 2001 Audi S4 Avant for my daily driver and let me tell you the thing is fast - all hole shot though. I raced a Supercharged Cobra from a standstill in the wagon and had him until 50 mph when we finally took over. Hopped up turbos and S-class cars are fast, but it takes a lot to put one in the same league as a Corvette.

Amen to that.
I was genuinely surprised.
So much so in fact, I almost forgot to race the guy & sat there watching.
Bet those little rockets get fairly decent mileage v.s. the power they're making, too.

The 1980 Audi 4000 I used to own years ago wasn't anywhere close to that little A4 in performance, not even close.



That about describes what happened to me, also.



At least up to 50MPH, anyway.
Add to that I'm not much of a "race car driver", so these things can be too close for comfort!




I'm a believer now, 'Ray!



Consider my reference concerning turbos: LeBarons (w/ the sickly Mitsubishi 4?) & that "Turbo-Thunderbird" Ford made in the 80s.

Did some cursory research and yes, enlarged "waste gates" etc have taken the technology to a new level I never imagined.

Sounds like he was driving one quick Audi!

BTW I see from you post above that you hit 160. I was running Road Atlanta two weeks ago & one of the C6 Z06 drivers was saying that above 150 on the back straight-away his car felt 'light' at that speed. Considering the Z06 is built for racing, just wondering how a regular C6 felt?

Good kill Straz! Those AWD turbo cars can launch pretty hard. But they just don't have the cubes to hang with a C6 Vette. If you were so inclined, you could put some stickies on the rear and practice a bit, you could pull him off the line also I'm sure.

The Rs6 I raced was real quick. The only thing holding it back was its weight.(about 4000lb) So far its the closest race Ive had.

Seemed like it to me, FWIW.



Car felt fine, then again I'm not a "race driver" & was really concentrating on the road more than feel.
I'd been at 155+ in my C5 racing a Lightning once, and that car felt solid so probably took for granted the C6 would hold the road as well if not better.

Thing that surprised me as much then with the C5 as much as the C6 now, is just how short a time it takes to get to those kinds of speeds.
For an amatuer like myself, it can spell big trouble in a variety of ways.

BTW, how's the health?

Thanks, Darth!!



Yup, you got that right.
Watched the video made by another forum member (who makes GREAT racing videos posted here) of a race between the Porshe 996 (?) & his pal's new Z06. From a running start he cleaned the kraut's klock, but from a stand still it took the Z all of first gear to catch him.
The guy in the Z "sounded" like he really knew how to drive, as oposed to my fumbling.



They don't, still I have to admit I was cocky, overestimated that little roller skate & was quite surprised.



You're probably right, the Goodyears I'm running are the original tires and now have 10K. Tread's getting mighty thin. But when the suckers were new, man they were a LOT stickier.

As for practicing?
I have to say I was one lucky guy. Where I live it's close to being a "police state" there're so many cops. So my odds of my crossing paths with one of the areas finest were pretty good. Had that happened I could've kissed my azz & lic, goodbye.
IF I really get the itch bad, I'll take it to the track.

This was just too damned opportune, I seriously couldn't resist.
Next time I'll really try excersizing more restraint.