S4 Saloon Ride Height - Audi drive select / damper control?

[Phill_]

Hi guys, still pondering on ordering an S4 Saloon if my dealer can get a slot.

Have been looking through autootrader etc and some S4's look very hight (lots of gap between tyre and arch).

Does having 'Audi drive select' and/or 'damper control' lower the car at all? Or are all S4 saloons the same?

 

[opelfruit]

All the same ride height. Adjustable dampers use gas to stiffen the dampers or soften them, they don't change height. It may be a combination of things, if they have 19inch wheels the look bigger so visually may appear to fill the arches more, they are not actually bigger as far as I'm aware the tyre size on the 19s is a lower profile than on the 18s so there is no difference in the amount of space they take up under the arches.

May also depend on the camera angle and lighting of the pictures.

 

[Dippy]

May also depend on the camera angle and lighting of the pictures.

I very much agree on that, and it is worse on the S5 as the arches are wider.

IMO the ride height for an S4 is good for our country which is full of speed bumps but I'll concede that to anyone who likes the look of lowered cars the gap is indeed big. Whenever I look at mine and think it might look better lowered, I just need to remind myself what a pita it was for my lowered B5 worrying every time I had to drive over speed bumps.

 

[Meemo]

They do have that monster truck thing going on.. nothing a nice set of HandR springs cant sort without becoming part of the scene
They are very good i hear for comfort, and although you will still have arch gap, it will no longer be a gaper and shouldnt have issue with speed bumps.

 

[Scott.T]

Does the S4 not come with the S-line sports suspension option that is possible on the A4 BE. This lowers by an additional 20mm I think.
I know my BE sat lower than a regular S-line it was next too when for sale at the dealers.

 

[opelfruit]

I think the ride height is the same as the sline, don't quote me on that though.

 

[StuBill]

Don't quote me either......but I have a feeling the B8.5 S4's sit a bit higher than the B8.

 

[xpoweruk]

B8 S4 is 21mm lower than a B8 A4 according to the brochure

 

[Bristle Hound]

More info on ADS & DC here buddy. May be some info in these 2 threads to help you
ADS - http://www.audi-sport.net/xf/threads/ads-cars-without.245252/
DC - http://www.audi-sport.net/xf/threads/damper-control-audi-s4.244670/

 

[Phill_]

Thanks guys

 

[jaygemson]

Stock S4s definitely look like they're on stilts!

Problem is that they really don't have a huge amount of ground clearance. Mine's lowered by around 35-40mm and certain speed bumps do cause problems around the rear axle. Not ideal, but worth it for the looks!