Budget Audi TT for Rallycross?

Rally cross has finally come to my Neohioscca region and naturally I'm brainstorming vehicle choices challenge style (cheap). Really want awd and something on the smaller side. With obvious "cheap Audi" jokes aside, any input appreciated!

....plan B could be DTM replica for 2020 Challenge..

I bought my GTI with the intent of buying a copart first generation TTq, scraping the Audi carcass off of the floorpan, and mounting the top of the Rabbit to it.  (This was before Leon Drake did basically the same with with an A2 Golf and a Caddy.  And a Miata, to get a rear suspension more suitable)  Sounds so simple!

Then I realized, it probably would be easier to just get a TT and just drive that.  They have sufficient helmet room for me, so the Rabbit body would mostly be irrelevant.

The only potential downside is that the TT has a much lower ball joint position on the upright compared to other A4-chassis cars.  I do not know if this precludes the ability to use 15 inch wheels or not, but they run awful close to the inside of the wheel with the factory 17s.  I'd want to run the car in PA, which allows any wheel size, rally tires, and computer retunes, but you're not allowed to swap major vehicle components like uprights.  And I'd want the TT uprights anyway, for the better turn-in.   Ideally start with a 225hp model because they had a larger turbo, and turbo swapping is not allowed in Prepared.  I think there are ways to regain throttle response with a tune by playing with the variable cam timing.

Also, TTqs are miserable to work on, but once you are used to it they aren't bad.  I'd use the ability to retune to get rid of the air injection system, which seems to be 90% of the persistent problems that 1.8ts had.  The ME7 is pretty well hacked at this point.

...I've thought about this just a little bit

I have no first hand information, but it's possible the haldex system I believe these cars came with would be less than ideal for rally-x. Maybe just go with FWD or (and this is quite likely) I'm completely wrong and should be telling you to go for it.

In reply to white_fly :

Haldex is not really a bad thing depending on your driving style.  For sure, my Haldex-equipped Volvo handles dirt a hell of a lot better than my 016-with-locking-diffs Quantum did, which was either plowing straight ahead or pitched sideways and no inbetween, so you had to pretty much hope you had enough speed to chuck it into a corner, because you couldn't accelerate and turn at the same time.  (You never had enough speed to chuck it into a corner)

Also, S60s are way too large to rallycross.

I'm reminded of the super muddy rallycross that got Detroit region kicked out of Fowlerville.  I'm in my like 80hp Quantum, and fidelity101 was there in his A4q Avant, and the first part of the course was more or less turning a 180 degree sweeper (half a horse track) into two roughly 90 degree turns, followed by a tight corner into the infield.

(entering infield)

Kevin was gushing that he could keep the throttle pinned all the way around and only had to lift in order to make the turn into the infield.  I'm like, man, I have to brake to shift weight forward just to make the first gentle curve where I'm barely out of first gear, which was like 10mph in that car... any time I wanted to change direction I had to either apply the brake, or how I was sideways enough that I could fake a scandi-flick.

All that said, as scrody as that car was, both in how slow it was and how much handling it didn't have, and fighting for DFL against people who didn't finish, it was way too much fun to drive.   That's the important thing, having fun, which is why as much as I overthink tech stuff, the real important thing is to get something, anything, and get your helmet on and go.  (But not an S60, they're too large)

Am I foolish to recommend an A4?

ebonyandivory said:

Am I foolish to recommend an A4?

ETR SCCA has like 2 or 3 A4's running and a W8 passat sedan next season..

MrChaos said:

ebonyandivory said:

Am I foolish to recommend an A4?

ETR SCCA has like 2 or 3 A4's running and a W8 passat sedan next season..

SHUT THE FRONT DOOR

Knurled. said:

MrChaos said:

ebonyandivory said:

Am I foolish to recommend an A4?

ETR SCCA has like 2 or 3 A4's running and a W8 passat sedan next season..

SHUT THE FRONT DOOR

It is a case of it was cheap and they will run it till it dies then part it/junk it and buy something else cheap to race. But it is a W8 Passat sedan 4motion 

Take a look at what cars are in your region and what your target class will be, for any AWD class Subaru's will obviously be the norm.  Manage your expectations, I haven't raced in my region yet but from observation there are a great many skilled drivers here.

From a reliability standpoint, a TT wouldn't be on my list of cars to beat on in Rallycross. 

They don't work well. They do work. A driver from Oklahoma tried to develop one and he drove a lot of events here in Texas. I did a half dozen runs in the class over the year. I'm trying to remember exactly what I didn't like about it. I think it really didn't want to rotate on corner entry and something about the AWD made it want to turn less than either FWD or RWD or the Subarus running on corner exit so it was hard to point the car coming out of a corner. It went in a straight line fairly well. 

It was ok, but was never competitive against the Subarus locally. We have the benefit of having a handful of national level drivers (including the car owner) at each event and if you're willing to hand the car off you can get a bunch of development feedback. 

MrChaos said:

Knurled. said:

MrChaos said:

ebonyandivory said:

Am I foolish to recommend an A4?

ETR SCCA has like 2 or 3 A4's running and a W8 passat sedan next season..

SHUT THE FRONT DOOR

It is a case of it was cheap and they will run it till it dies then part it/junk it and buy something else cheap to race. But it is a W8 Passat sedan 4motion 

I bought the S60 in part because W8 Passats (they were all 4motion) were in the $7-8k range..  And VW had apparently just discontinued the W8-specific components like the timing chains/guides.

Still would like to have one, but I can't fathom the idea of a "cheap" one.

Knurled. said:

MrChaos said:

Knurled. said:

MrChaos said:

ebonyandivory said:

Am I foolish to recommend an A4?

ETR SCCA has like 2 or 3 A4's running and a W8 passat sedan next season..

SHUT THE FRONT DOOR

It is a case of it was cheap and they will run it till it dies then part it/junk it and buy something else cheap to race. But it is a W8 Passat sedan 4motion 

I bought the S60 in part because W8 Passats (they were all 4motion) were in the $7-8k range..  And VW had apparently just discontinued the W8-specific components like the timing chains/guides.

 

Still would like to have one, but I can't fathom the idea of a "cheap" one.

From the pic on FB it looks like there isnt a body panel without damage, the paint is really bad, almost no paint on the roof, clear is pealing, etc.  Oh yea there are no W8 engine components available it is long blocks only at like $17K.

Alternative plan: buy my rallycross boxster when it goes up for sale sometime this winter. Rwd is more fun anyway, but mid engine gets you most of the advantages of awd without the risk of debeading tires. We regularly run faster than sa, at Nationals 2018 we were the second fastest stock class car overall. Still get German quality and a car that's actually a decent car, but way more reliable and easier to work on than an Audi. Plus it's already been set up and proven to work for rallycross. Not quite challenge budget, but cheap.

thanks for the input guys, been watching as many rallyx videos as possible to see whats going on.  Saw the 2018 nationals and there was a Miata that really hooked up. Would love the Boxster but ive only done one rodeo so far. Probably need to talk my self out of the complexity of an Audi and go a little more simple.

Simple is good for rallycross.  The less you worry about reliability, the more you can concentrate on driving.  Get something you are comfortable with, or you think you can get comfortable with, and get some seat time.