Ice! Ice! Baby!

To properly utilise the Audi quattro system, understanding the dynamics of weight transfer is essential. As a default, the A4's quattro drivetrain is set to a 40:60 front to rear bias that automatically varies up to 15:85 under full acceleration to make the most of the dynamic grip when most of the weight is pressing onto the back axle. In the real world, this translates to backing off the throttle when you want more front end grip and getting on the power when you want the rear to help you dial out understeer.

Although electronic traction aids such as ESP and ASR come as standard on the A4 and can help get you out of trouble, turning these completely off was the only way to get the car to drift and ultimately proved to be the smoothest way around the five-plus kilometre circuit that was carved out by a tractor.

The flat, frozen surface allowed us to explore the limits of not only the Audi but our talent as well. If things went wrong, there was nothing to hit but powder snow and getting help was simply a matter of radioing for help that would come in the form of a tractor and a chain. Over the course of three days, those with a penchant for one-handed drifting among other antics could be heard calling for the tractor more often than others.

I looking forward to joining a shrinking pool of tractor-free drivers who always managed to stay out of trouble until one less than an hour before the three-day session ended, a moment of exuberance had me finally radio for help. But then again, how do you know where the limit is if you don't find it?

Credits: Story and photos by Sheldon Trollope from Arjeplog, Sweden