Sports suspension plus - Opinions

[Fab]

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[Fab]

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[Fab]

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[tailpipe]

Hey Fab,

Great post! Great pictures! Great job! Thanks for all the useful information. Your twin test drive should help quite a lot of people make up their minds. Thank you.




I noticed Mrs Fab's delicate hands being put to good work holding a cigarette lighter. I am sure her views influenced your comments. Nothing spoils a good drive more than a girl in the passenger seat complaining about the harshness of the ride.



Anyway you sure reminded us what a great car the RS4 is!

I think the Avant will be even more spectacular. In fact, the only thing I disagree about is your choice of colour. I find the grey a bit dull. The Sprint blue is absolutely superb. The dark blue and dark green are also excellent. I also like the black.

[Fab]

Hi tailpipe,

I'm happy you liked it.

You're right Mrs Fab actively participated to the test drive and obviously she's influencing the choice

but I am a lucky guy as she's also a car enthusiast and we will be sharing the RS4 although she has her own TT V6 roadster that I like very much as well.

[QuattroFun]

Brilliant report - many thx.

Now I know what to expect with my sports suspension plus and since there is no regular Mrs. QuattroFun I should be allright.

My SS plus avus ride should be here in two-three weeks or so (black optics and suede wheel apparently deferring original production by four weeks or so) and try to post some pictures then...

[jasaretta]

Fantastic report thank you for taking the time to write it up and post the pictures. It's what makes this forum awesome.

The comparative pictures were great.

jas

[makara6]

Thanks Fab for the informative response!!. I have spent ages researching this subject, hard to get good info on it. Made my discion after getting info from RS4 development director. Seem to have got it right for my useage, old bones and family. I have also gone for the 18 inch wheel option which is supposedly good (though certainly doesn't look as good as the 19's)..can you get that option in Geneva??. Thanks again for taking the time to post.

[gazzab]

Fab excellent pictures. I think you hit the nail on the head, unless you are a track fanatic it is not worth going down the sports suspension road. In the standard set up it is a good compromise, and lets face it only a few will go on the track and then probably once or twice a year. Disclosure: I have never driven a RS4.

By the way were the tyres exactly the same, as one had red labelling?

Gazzab

[Goldorak]

Wow, great writeup and very nice comparative pics.

No such option in North America AFAIK but still really enjoyed your comparison.

Thanks for sharing.

[Fab]

Originally posted by gazzab

By the way were the tyres exactly the same, as one had red labelling?

Gazzab

The standard chassis RS4 had Pirelli Rosso, the other Michelin PS2.

[Fab]

Originally posted by QuattroFun

Now I know what to expect with my sports suspension plus and since there is no regular Mrs. QuattroFun I should be allright.

[7:53 RS6]

Auto motor and sport(swedish version) is exactly in on whats said by Fab about the ride comfort.

But thers no doubt that i personally will have + suspension even lack of comfort. But thats mainly beccuse im at tracks often, what ever i drive for car.

Same mag also saying RS4 only has 349hp on wheels, and that this is a lost of power on 17% which the think is way to much. Lost of tourq is 13% at wheels. To sum it up they mean it could never be 420hp in engine. They also say it cut by 8050 rpm in test which is 200 rpm before whats stated. Its a manual awd so its in ams words in doubt aproved.

Are there any other simular test out ther to comper as this is just one mags rototest?

The tests has been made by www.rototest.com for ams.

If thats the case anyway, im even more impressed of the speed preformed by RS4. 0-100 as well as 0-200. The overall test of the car was done on winter roads and it came out very, very good i think. Only bad as to ams it was the weight to porky and it will probably shown at track, elsewher it do not suffer from it. Its at 1811kg(thas inkluded 75kg driver and gas)

Anyway its AMS word for what its worth, but i think it came out very god in total.

[gazzab]

Cheers Fab

Gazzab

[Wavehogger]

Thanks for the Dyno site 8:05, I live for those graphs.. You're right in that the loss at the wheels is a bit high, though when you're testing AWD cars it isn't as accurate or simple to test as RWD. On the up side, the car still moves and numbers are just numbers when it comes to the RS4.. it's way more than that..

And to comment on the suspension options.. here in the U.S. we don't get a choice. From what i'm told we get the SS and there won't ever be an option not to have it. Which is fine with me, I think if you buy this car you're not buying an A6 or A8.. it's for a whole different reason.. at least for me.. My mission: to explore the dangerous country mountain roads and rip them up, look out chipmunks! :P

Steve

[tazsura]

Thanks Fab. That was a truly quality report (have you thought about a career in journalism? lol)

I thought you had made up my mind and was all set on the standard set-up until I an RS4 pulled up next to me at the petrol station.

Sprint Blue with the SS suspension. The lady who was driving it had previously had an M3 on 19's and commented that she didn't find the suspension much harder than on the Beema. The car didnt look that much lower than the standard car either.

But I think i'm still going to go for the standard set-up.
Thanks Fab!

P.S The lady who drove the RS4 said it was in a 'Different league' to the M3...She has been converted!

[Benman]

Originally posted by Goldorak
Wow, great writeup and very nice comparative pics.


Thanks for sharing.

Agree. But why is the Mrs. flipping us all off???

Ben

[Fab]

Guys don't laught

After a great week end at Hockenheim for the first DTM race of the season (VIP Audi invitation) and few talks with guys from quattro GMBH and some private owners :

I just changed my order for the Super Sport Chassis

So don't look back at my report on page 2

P.S. I will post my week end pics and impression in the coming days (plenty of RS4 cabrio pics, new TT, RS4, S6, etc....)

Ciao

Fab