Audi 90 quattro as a tow car

[Rob_374227410]

I posted a question yesterday, Which was, has anyone towed with an Audi 90 quattro 2.3, 5 cylinder.

Result, total silence. So I must assume that either no one has,or they are totally rubbish.

Anyway I will give it a go and see how we get along. Wish me luck.

 

[MikeP]

I have done a bit of research, and found the following. Hopefully it is accurate - you really need to check things out before you tow, to make sure firstly that your setup is road legal, and secondly that it will be a stable combination.

The Audi - 4WD with a front engine, 130BHP at 5,700 RPM, 136 lbs/ft at 3,500 RPM. Quite a perky engine, but you will need to run at highish revs to exploit the power and torque available. Weight is 1,134kg. If this is the kerb weight (check your handbook) then you should aim to tow around 85% of this figure - 960kg. That isn't a lot of caravan. The 85% figure is a guide not a rule, but it's a sensible starting point.

I can't say much about a Sprite caravan without knowing a year and model number. There is a 1991 Sprite Alpine advertised for sale as follows: 13' internal length, 2 berth, end kitchen, oven, shower, cassette toilet, double glazing - unladen weight approx 700kg. So there is definitely a Sprite that can be towed by your Audi. If you post again with more specific info, then I'll be able to help some more.

 

[Rob_374227410]

I have done a bit of research, and found the following. Hopefully it is accurate - you really need to check things out before you tow, to make sure firstly that your setup is road legal, and secondly that it will be a stable combination.

The Audi - 4WD with a front engine, 130BHP at 5,700 RPM, 136 lbs/ft at 3,500 RPM. Quite a perky engine, but you will need to run at highish revs to exploit the power and torque available. Weight is 1,134kg. If this is the kerb weight (check your handbook) then you should aim to tow around 85% of this figure - 960kg. That isn't a lot of caravan. The 85% figure is a guide not a rule, but it's a sensible starting point.

I can't say much about a Sprite caravan without knowing a year and model number. There is a 1991 Sprite Alpine advertised for sale as follows: 13' internal length, 2 berth, end kitchen, oven, shower, cassette toilet, double glazing - unladen weight approx 700kg. So there is definitely a Sprite that can be towed by your Audi. If you post again with more specific info, then I'll be able to help some more.

Hi,yes my set up is road legal, why should it not be? The Audi is in really great condition, as I am an MOT Tester it should be. The van is a Sprite Alpine XL 2 berth which weighs in at 750kgs, so hopefully you will tell me all will be well.

Many thanks

Rob

 

[MikeP]

Sorry for the delay, I didn't notice your response.

I didn't suggest that your outfit was not road legal - I just said that first you check whether you can legally tow the caravan, then you see whether it is a stable combination. You still need to check the handbook to establish the max weight that you can tow, and the max noseweight.

The car is around 1,100 to 1,200 kg. Let's say the caravan is 750kg plus some gear 50kg = 800kg. This looks fine, at around 70% of the car's weight. There is no need, with this combination, to establish weights any more accurately - but you still need to check the handbook. As I said before, I suspect the power comes in at quite high engine revs, so as long as you keep it spinning you should be fine.

Finally, however stable an outfit might look, a stabiliser will help it to stay stable. Some people have never used them, but most seasoned caravanners wouldn't tow without one.

 

[Lutz]

The very fact that it is a Quattro should make it an ideal towcar. The 1134kg given as the kerbweight sounds rather low to me and should be checked. I would have expected the figure to be closer to 1400kg. The max. permissible towload will probably also be of the same order but the owners handbook should give full details.

 

[RogerL]

Rob - the Audi 80/90 series was an excellent car but priced to remain exclusive. VW was, and still is, the volume brand of the VAG Group. The Quattro was an option, not ordered very often, so your car must be fairly rare - hence the lack of response.

I don't have any info on kerbweight but won't be high as it wasn't a large car.

 

[JeremyClarksson]

All Audis use to have bodies made from aluminium which would explain the light weight - I believe this is still the case?

 

[Lutz]

Only the Audi A2 and the A8 had aluminium bodies. Besides, the 4 wheel drive of the Quattro is also bound to add considerable weight so their kerbweight should not be underestimated.

 

[spj]

Hi all,

I used to own an Audi 90 2.2E, this was a 1988 car, the 2.2 was the same engine but they increased the capacity to 2.3 when they put catalysts on them to compensate for the power loss a cat gave and so the 2.2 and 2.3 were very similar in performance.

I towed with mine but not a caravan, and I cant see you having any problems pulling a caravan, I am unsure of kerb wieght but the bodies of the 80s and 90s were mostly galvanised steel.

I also used to own a 2003 Audi A4 2.5 tdi quattro which was an excellent tow car and never had any trouble on wet grass ect.

Your 90 quattro will be a nice car and quite rare, with a good match of caravan weight will make a nice stable outfit.