JP Roberts

There was rumour that like the A8, the new A6 was going to be an
all-alluminum car, but none of the pre-launch articles I've read mention
this. Does anyone happen to know if the Audi Space Frame got lost in the
pipeline?

AAA (for Appreciate Any Answers).

JP Roberts

JP Roberts

Those typos: Aluminum, platform

"JP Roberts" <1234@yahoo.com> escribió en el mensaje
news:c1tirv$2gf$1@news.ya.com...
> There was rumour that like the A8, the new A6 was going to be an
> all-alluminum car, but none of the pre-launch articles I've read mention
> this. Does anyone happen to know if the Audi Space Frame got lost in the
> pipeline?
>
> AAA (for Appreciate Any Answers).
>
> JP Roberts
>
>

Martin Basil

"JP Roberts" <1234@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:c1tirv$2gf$1@news.ya.com...
> There was rumour that like the A8, the new A6 was going to be an
> all-alluminum car, but none of the pre-launch articles I've read mention
> this. Does anyone happen to know if the Audi Space Frame got lost in the
> pipeline?
>
The front wings are aluminium, the suspension has been for the last three
generations but no they have gone for a steel shell.

Martin

o_0

In alt.autos.audi, "JP Roberts" <1234@yahoo.com> wrote:

>Those typos: Aluminum

Must be a bushism.. like "nukular".

JP Roberts

Thanks Martin. It comes as some pretty big disappointment to me after all
the pre-launch hype.

JP Roberts

"Martin Basil" <nomail@none.com> escribió en el mensaje
news:c1tkqh$jpf$1@news0.ifb.net...
>
> "JP Roberts" <1234@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:c1tirv$2gf$1@news.ya.com...
> > There was rumour that like the A8, the new A6 was going to be an
> > all-alluminum car, but none of the pre-launch articles I've read mention
> > this. Does anyone happen to know if the Audi Space Frame got lost in the
> > pipeline?
> >
> The front wings are aluminium, the suspension has been for the last three
> generations but no they have gone for a steel shell.
>
> Martin
>
>

Wolfgang Pawlinetz

On Mon, 1 Mar 2004 14:21:05 +0100, "JP Roberts" <1234@yahoo.com>
wrote:

>Thanks Martin. It comes as some pretty big disappointment to me after all
>the pre-launch hype.

Opposed to this I'm quite happy that it's not aluminum.

Aluminum has the main advantage of being lightweight, however IMO
there are two major disadvantages which I, as the average car owner,
don't really want to take:

..) I've heard repair cost for body work (i.e. the frame) for the A8 in
case of an accident are enormous. You can't have anything "just done"
at the next shop, because Alu welding is not that easy.
Aluminum alloys need to be thermally treated to achieve their optimum
stiffness and strength. So whenever welding is done a post-treatment
of the welding is needed. Also local deformation changes the structure
of the alu and you'd theoretically need to heat treat it.

..) Galvanic corrosion
Aluminium does not work too well with steel. It can be done (and is of
course done quite often), but special methods need to be applied. I.e.
a steel screw turned into an alu thread is almost inevitably going to
freeze (don't now the proper word). The reason is that there are
minimal voltages flowing between alu and steel due to their galvanic
properties. This being accentuated even more by (salt)water and other
corrosive fluids. So properly heli-coils or bronze inserts would have
to be used to lessen that effect. That means that everywhere the steel
meets alu you'd have to implement some kind of protection. It's just
expensive and mistakes can happen. Especially in the shop when doing
repair jobs.

YMMV

Wolfgang

Regards

Wolfgang
--
* Audi A6 Avant TDI *
* reply to wolfgang dot pawlinetz at chello dot at *

Martin Basil

"Wolfgang Pawlinetz" <w.pawlinetz@a1.net> wrote in message
news:3ag6405l5utclov57gdcopgp2c7o356ggf@4ax.com...
> On Mon, 1 Mar 2004 14:21:05 +0100, "JP Roberts" <1234@yahoo.com>
> wrote:
>
> >Thanks Martin. It comes as some pretty big disappointment to me after all
> >the pre-launch hype.
>
> Opposed to this I'm quite happy that it's not aluminum.
>
> Aluminum has the main advantage of being lightweight, however IMO
> there are two major disadvantages which I, as the average car owner,
> don't really want to take:
>
> .) I've heard repair cost for body work (i.e. the frame) for the A8 in
> case of an accident are enormous. You can't have anything "just done"
> at the next shop, because Alu welding is not that easy.
> Aluminum alloys need to be thermally treated to achieve their optimum
> stiffness and strength. So whenever welding is done a post-treatment
> of the welding is needed. Also local deformation changes the structure
> of the alu and you'd theoretically need to heat treat it.


But it is much lighter with the right alloys for a given strength and lets
face it what car can be just repaired by anyone other than the dealer
>
> .) Galvanic corrosion
> Aluminium does not work too well with steel. It can be done (and is of
> course done quite often), but special methods need to be applied. I.e.
> a steel screw turned into an alu thread is almost inevitably going to
> freeze (don't now the proper word). The reason is that there are
> minimal voltages flowing between alu and steel due to their galvanic
> properties. This being accentuated even more by (salt)water and other
> corrosive fluids. So properly heli-coils or bronze inserts would have
> to be used to lessen that effect. That means that everywhere the steel
> meets alu you'd have to implement some kind of protection. It's just
> expensive and mistakes can happen. Especially in the shop when doing
> repair jobs.

Well I am sure they thought of the dissimilar metals and put electrical
insulation at all interfaces . Anyway the body is painted and aluminium
provides it's on oxide protection although that doesn't make it immune to
salt it slows the corrosion just like galvanising.

Martin