04 USP Question

**lyleswk** · 01-20-2012 04:04 PM

I have found a really rare bird. An 04 USP with a 5-speed...and fwd. I originally thought the car was being misrepresented somehow when I went after 6th and found, well a hard stop. But after a trip to my local Audi dealer and a VIN cross check, found out the car is legit. So, my question is if there is any difference in the reliability of the 5 speed in the fwd configuration versus the quattro? Any experience in this area?

**Charles.waite** · 01-20-2012 04:10 PM

If anything the transmission would be MORE reliable because only having 2 wheels to turn puts less strain on the gears.

That seems really odd though. I wasn't aware you could get the USP package without quattro. Does the knob have 6 gears listed? Sounds kinda fishy to me...

**Audi Skate Snow** · 01-20-2012 04:25 PM

Originally Posted by lyleswk

I have found a really rare bird. An 04 USP with a 5-speed...and fwd. I originally thought the car was being misrepresented somehow when I went after 6th and found, well a hard stop. But after a trip to my local Audi dealer and a VIN cross check, found out the car is legit. So, my question is if there is any difference in the reliability of the 5 speed in the fwd configuration versus the quattro? Any experience in this area?

There were some rare ones that had USP in FWD. There was a guy on here selling one that even had Tan interior on a USP (usually only black). But he even posted the original window sticker and sure enough it was a USP.

**Charlescrs6** · 01-20-2012 06:32 PM

I knew you could get a USP in FWD, but wasn't aware it could be a 5-speed. Are the 2004 and up A4s that are FWD 5 or 6 speeds normally?

**rollerton** · 01-20-2012 07:55 PM

Hmm. Interesting. I bet there is no FWD 6spd USP. VW had the 6spd on the GLI and special GTI models, bug you obviously couldn't use the trans in an Audi, so I bet they just said screw it. No reason to invest the money in a retooling and special trans for such a limited model. The fwd VAG 6spd powertrain that existed was transverse engine, doesn't translate to the A4.

**lyleswk** · 01-21-2012 09:13 AM

Originally Posted by Charles.waite

If anything the transmission would be MORE reliable because only having 2 wheels to turn puts less strain on the gears.

That seems really odd though. I wasn't aware you could get the USP package without quattro. Does the knob have 6 gears listed? Sounds kinda fishy to me...

Seems like there would be the same stress on the tranny (torque and hp are the same as delivered from the engine), but more stress on the axles since all the power is going to just 2 wheels. Guess I should have been more specific and mention the axles.

Also, like I said, I checked the VIN at my local dealer, and he validated both the tranny code that was buried in the VIN and the USP code. Both cross checked. So, it is an original build, just very rare. Being that I live in Texas, quattro is not all that much of an advantage although I did notice the car understeered more on freeway cloverleafs. Anyway, I will am pretty active on AW and there are a lot of non-US folks on there. Hoping I get someone from there.

Let me know if anyone has any more input