In order to get a clearer understanding of their 4Motion technology, Volkswagen took us on an ice driving experience that would raise the eyebrows of even the toughest of Europeans.
With a reported 38% of New Zealand’s roads being unsealed, 4Motion has proven to be a popular option with VW drivers; 49% of passengers vehicles are sold with this system and a whopping 66% of commercials, and why now (aside from the Polo and Caddy) all models have 4Motion available.
Although the 4Motion itself actually only appeared by name in 1999, Volkswagen has been involved with AWD systems as far back as the 1970s with projects in areas such as Antarctica.
Over the subsequent decades, the systems have evolved from viscous coupling (transference of torque and
rotation by the medium of a viscous fluid), through to Syncro/Torsen (torque-sensing) and five generations of
Haldex-style (intelligent AWD).
According to the brochure, VW’s 4Motion ensures that the vehicle doesnot slip or lose control at any point, it constantly monitors driving conditions and reacts to the slightest wheel slip, delivering extra traction to the wheels with the most grip – we’ll be the best judge of that.
With the sun still yet to rise, we boarded a modified MAN truck in Wanaka and headed up to the Southern Hemisphere Proving Grounds to “get a grip” of VW’s 4Motion system through a series of exercises devised to have us lose as much traction as possible.
Upon arrival at the top of the mountain, we were greeted by a large display of VW’s current range of vehicles, both passenger and commercial.
From the performance-driven Golf R, to the luxurious Touareg, a powerful Amarok V6 580 and even a Crafter, all very different in so many ways but all sporting snow tyres and a VW 4Motion system.
The exercises were broken down into three stages.
An all-wheel-drive slalom, a pendulum “circle” drift and a high-speed mixture of both.
With time and the rising sun against us, we immediately switched off the vehicle’s ESP systems and cracked on.
Apparently, the secret to AWD drifting is weight distribution and timing.
When accelerating the 4Motion system is continually seeking to put traction to whichever wheel(s) it can and specifically in the direction the wheels are pointing, however, remove drive to the wheels and the laws of physics take over.
The theory is, accelerate, then turn but at the same let off the gas and the “pendulaum” effect will result in an
oversteer drift, simple.
You’d think that on a surface as slippery as ice or snow getting out of shape would be even easier, well yes and noToo much steering input can cause understeer, too late or too early on the accelerator sends you in multiple directions or a full spin, same goes with counter-steering and aggressive (or too soft) pedal work.
A one-off is OK but then try to attempt a slalom drift!
Of course, with their smaller wheelbases and lower centre’s of gravity, the passenger vehicles were arguably easier to handle (I personally still struggled) but the commercials are a mission unto themselves.
Firstly the Amarok.
The key to this truck’s stability is a torque sensing (Torsen) differential, it gives permanent drive to all four wheels with a 60/40 rear to front bias.
Torsen is a mechanical self-locking centre differential which regulates power between the front and rear axles, using torque sensing.
It responds to varying rotational forces between the front and rear axle, sending torque between them as needed.
On a Torsen differential, the two output gears are connected by worm gears, they limit high differential rotation speeds and balance the speeds when cornering.
Even with its powerful and torquey engine, getting the acceleration pedal right in the Amarok is difficult.
Its lighter rear and heavier nose made it harder to “pendulum”, with more speed and aggression being the only option, however, it’s still a missionto get this truck to drift turn.
The chassis feels stoic and the suspension is soft, when it does begin to drift, patience is needed before re-applying acceleration to get around the next turn.
Then there’s the Crafter.
The fourwheel-drive Crafter gets a Haldex-style coupling.
An electronically controlled permanent 4×4 system, that can distribute as much as 60% of the power to the rear wheels.
The Haldex clutch automatically gathers information on the driver’s actions, engine performance, transmission and brakes, so it can control the transfer of torque pre-emptively.
Driving a hefty 3T+ GVM delivery van on snow and ice would on the outset seem perilous.
Having a high centre of gravity, a long wheelbase and being light on the frame, should offer the driver no end of problems, but in actual fact, it’s much the contrary.
It’s smart and intuitive and harder to “drift” than the Amarok.
Steering inputs are less than subtle as is the acceleration, but the system is quick to correct any loss of traction resulting in it tending to drive the slalom rather than slide.
Upon reflection, this actually made sense, a very responsive 4Motion system that’s better for carrying large loads, offering better traction and movement when under load stress.
Being able to push commercial vehicles to lose all kinds of traction on the snow is quite the experience, especially as Volkswagen’s 4Motion system was there to fight us every step of the way.
For me, the bigger the vehicle, the harder it was to unsettle which in many ways was even more reassuring.
VW commercial vehicles are carrying goods and conducting services on our roads each and every day and in all kinds of conditions, it’s great to know 4Motion is behind at least twothirds of them.
“Being able to spend time on the ice in Queenstown is always a pleasure but being able to put a full range of 4Motion cars, utes and vans through their paces was an incredible experience,” Volkswagen Commercial
Vehicles NZ general manager Keven Richards says.
“Even being as close to the brand as I am, this was a real eye-opener in terms of seeing first-hand what a fantastically diverse product portfolio we have and our ability to offer a four wheel-drive vehicle for every occaA Komatsu e-Dumper from Kuhn Schweiz AG, reported to be the world’s largest operating EV, has
been proving its worth during the past year.
The e-Dumper weighs 111 tonnes (fully laden) and transports 60 tonnes of lime and marl (clay and lime rock or soil) from a mountain extraction area in Switzerland to a transport system below, recovering energy through regenerative braking on the downhill run.
The truck saves about 50,000 tonnes of diesel and 130 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually.
It has a 4. 5-tonne 600kWh battery provided by Lithium Storage GmbH, used to power the uphill (unladen) run, and the surplus is fed into the electricity grid.
The e-Dumper’s tyres are more than 1.8 metres high and it is able handle inclines of 13%.
Drivers have to climb nine stairs to the cab.
Kuhn Schweiz AG has a history of building electric goods vehicles and says it is defining a new goal; the development, construction and marketing of electrified 100-tonne-plus construction machines.
