Zo62018A8

The car is going in a perfectly straight line with traction and suddenly pulls to the right and end up in a tree. Im wondering what did the driver do?

fourmat

Broke it loose at gear change

Zo62018A8

Could it have been prevented if it was an automatic? Im assuming this car was a manual?

36couper

High performance car with a low performance driver.
Yep, tires broke loose when he shifted

StreetLegalH2R

Nope, you're all wrong. Its the same thing that causes 90% of the accidents in these types of crashes; the brakes. The car gets loose, the driver freaks out and stabs the brakes, car finds traction in whatever direction the car is pointed and boom, you're in the weeds. If you get into one of these situations ease off the throttle and don't touch anything again until the car is pointed straight.

Zo62018A8

Did it happen during a gear change with the manual transmission? Im assuming on an automatic with all the safety nannies on it could have been prevented?

Neil Baker

Was the traction control off???

Foosh

Looks like DSC in less intrusive or off mode coupled with an inexperienced driver.

StreetLegalH2R

The Z06 still does plenty of squirming with all the nannies on in eco mode. You get crossed up like that and stand on the brakes, all the computer in the world can't stop what's comin' next.

StreetLegalH2R

Nope. 2nd gear happened nice and easy. Watch the video. Right after the car gets a little loose, the brake lights come on and off he goes. Yeah, its inexperience, but specifically its the panicked application of the brakes while the car is upset thats causing disaster.

Zo62018A8

Would it have happened if it was in eco mode?

StreetLegalH2R

Idk about the A8, but in an M7 absolutely. The car's computer is fast but it's not psychic, nor can it defy the laws of physics. Cold tires, loose blacktop, a little dampness and you can be in trouble pretty quick. If you find yourself in trouble like in the video above just remember to point the wheel where you wanna go, lift off the throttle and don't touch the brakes until the car is under control (or at least pointed straight). Lessons like this are what high school and cheap muscle cars were made for - unfortunately times have changed. Now people who never did a burn out their entire lives are jumping into hyper cars and expecting them to handle like their Camry did.

At one point in their lives everybody should have an old big block Vette with a bathtub fuel tank and polyglas tires as a practice car. A little sideways fuel slosh will teach your lizard brain a whole lot about how to get outta trouble.

JerryU

IMO, traction control shut off. Probably during a shift, one tire looses traction. Tire that has traction, due to pavement, etc., in this case the driver's side drove car off the road.

In my ProStreet Rod with an 8.2 Liter BB, 53% weight on rear 16.5 section width sticky tires only Positraction on 4 bar link rear, if one tire looses traction on a 0 to 60 run have about 1/2 second to get foot off the throttle. If not in a ditch!

Have seen ProStock NHRA cars do the same when a tire looses traction and a even a Pro driver waits to long to lift!

Bottom Line, don't shut off traction control unless there is a very wide place to try!

StreetLegalH2R

I'd argue that the TC was on. There was no wheelspin in 1st and it sounded like the computer was interfering with the application of throttle.

JerryU

Could be right, but could also be a Z06 with traction control off and driver modulated the throttle to avoid tire spin off the line. Then he used full throttle, shift occurred but one tire had much poorer traction and was slipping. Then the sequence described above occurred.

StreetLegalH2R

If you watch that video again carefully he was fine until he slammed on the brakes. The throttle was closed and the taillights were on when he shot off into the trees.

JerryU

But may have slammed on brakes when he felt car moving to the right as described. Agree that it not the proper move. Still vote for traction control off!

thill444

This one has been around awhile:
http://www.motortrend.com/news/new-d...cenes-le-mans/

I do remember reading somewhere that he was trying out launch control for the first time and clearly he did not understand to lift off throttle.

Phanni

DCP

drive capability problem

davepl

This is a Z06 A8 I believe. [Edit: More likely, an M7]

1) If the road's not perfect, you will lose traction on the 1-2 upshift.
2) If you lose traction on the 1-2 upshift without TC on, you will go sideways.
3) If you keep your foot in it after it's going sideway, you will hit the trees.

That's about all. If he'd had TC on or lifted immediately, it could have been saved. From the video that's what I see, at least, I wasn't there either. I still don't know why they didn't lift immediately when it got sideways though.

Or if could have been that the car was so mad with the video being taken in portrait mode that it just drove into the weeds out of anger.