Glisse

Hope you're right on the S5 offset! But disagree on 18 vs 19 - you will be pleasantly surprised with Sport adaptive suspension when you drive it.

Sebast007

I also don't get what is sportier on 18" wheels vs bigger ones?

markcincinnati

Beginning of rant.

Now let me get this straight: The 2018 S4 (at least for the North American market) will be equipped with SOFTER springs (but with a lower ride height than an A4; but, the ride height will still be called "S" calibration on an S4, that is).

The reason for the softer springs will be to "broaden the appeal" to American (primarily) customers who essentially "want an A4 with a V6 instead of an I4."

The S4 will come "standard" with brake-based torque vectoring (BBTV) which will provide somewhat less pronounced under-steer than the same car without BBTV.

The ride height being lowered, then, in this configuration essentially provides a bit of a lower center-of-gravity (translating into somewhat better handling than a version, such as a standard A4, with +.9" more ground clearance.)

Inquiring minds -- and there will be those -- will wonder (as have I), why Audi chose to do this to the "S" designation, when it could have simply produced what some have called an "AS4" -- which would be nothing more than the current, 2017 MY, A4 equipped with the more than adequate fixed sport suspension, and PERHAPS 19" or PERHAPS 18" tires/wheels BUT with the same HP and torque as the latest S3 I4.

This way, the AS4 could have provided many with most of the performance they longed for (in an S4), and at perhaps a better price point (than the genuine S4) and with a more "comfortable" ride set-up.

But no.

What we appear to be getting is what Frank Zappa might call a "Sears S4" rather than a "Real S4," apparently because Americans want comfortable cars, not "taut" cars. Whiskey, Tango, Foxtrot!

The solution -- and not a horrible one -- apparently is to create the AVAILABILITY of an S4 with its sleeker, lower profile (on springs that have been designed to be lower but without the "S" characteristic "firm" ride.)

I have a 2014 S4 with the 18" wheels on it, I did not order this one with the "sport differential, a Torque Vectoring (mechanical differential) affair. Now, I am led to believe Audi can sell more cars (and the most profitable ones of the lot within the A4 family, of course) just by "softening" the S4, but meanwhile making it look just a cool as the "previous" lower and stiffer suspension set-up versions.

The cries from the faithful will be (soon) heard, but, I'll wager, these wails will be drowned out by the sound of the cash register as it rings and rings and rings up sales of a "hot rod A4." (The 2018 S4, natch.)

But, marketing mavens have not won on EVERYTHING, no, no. The engineers have come up with a somewhat better than half-***, but less than a full-*** solution in the "Sport adaptive damping suspension" that is part of the mandatory "package" components including: Red Brake Calipers (woo woo! Please note the use of SARCASM there); the previous generation's ONLY TV option, the "Sport Differential" (new and improved and a couple of pounds lighter to boot, so says Audi's literature); and, a new feature -- or at least a new name for the feature: "Sport adaptive damping suspension."

Will someone please tell me what a "Sport adaptive damping suspension" is?

Google away my friends, google "Sport adaptive damping suspension" or google "Sport adaptive damping suspension 2018 Audi S4," or any other damn thing you can come up with that includes the word "sport" BEFORE the phrase "adaptive damping suspension." The google algorithm is a stubborn little dude -- the word "sport" seems to be ignored quite a bit when the results of your very precise search are returned.

Either my google is broken, or this term, "Sport adaptive damping suspension" is reserved for the several [Audi-only] brochures and [Audi] order guides floating around in cyber-space. Sure, you can find information on what is PROBABLY Sport adaptive damping suspension, but other than the folks here who seem to know more than Audi of America, I am unable to CLEARLY get a "what it is, and what it isn't" definition.

The dealer reps have already gotten their FIRST pre-release training classes out of the way. Here in SW Ohio, the Factory Trainers are claiming the new S4 "optional" suspension will be employing "magna-ride" (notice the lower case on the magna -- apparently upper case means General Motors cars.)

The magnetic shocks will be "just like the S3's?" Really"? Scout's honor?

Yep. Pull the other one.

Hmm, OK, when one pushes the "Drive Select" button on a car equipped with the "S Sport Package" (code PPU), what, exactly will one see? "Comfort or Auto or Dynamic" If so, that would seem to be a departure from previous implementations of "magna-ride" which selections are essentially "off" (comfort) or "on" (dynamic). Something just doesn't seem kosher here.

The last time I test drove an S3 with the big wheel and and tire option and the "magna-ride" option, I punched every "selection" to Dynamic and the damn S3 felt like a friggin' GO-KART! Granted the thing was quick and it felt like it could "dart" this way and that at the mere twitch of the wheel, but I think the ability to feel and hear every stone and expansion joint would quickly tire most folks -- and passengers would hate riding in the thing with its every "muscle" tensed.

Damn it man, I don't want my S4 to either be, "too" soft or hard -- "too" is just too much. I'm looking for "jus' right!"

So, I have patiently read the posts here, likewise the ones on quattroworld; and I downloaded and read the June 2016 Audi "white paper" titled:

The new Audi S4 and S4 Avant: dynamic understatement.

On page 13, under the title: "Up to five modes: Audi drive select," the paper refers to what MUST be Audi of America speak for "Sport adaptive damping suspension" -- but this Audi AG publication clearly references the term Continuous Damping Control (CDC) and makes zero use of the Audi of America favored marketing-speak "Sport adaptive damping suspension." No mention of magna-ride or anything meaning that technology appears, either.

CDC, is said to offer "comfort," "auto" and "dynamic" settings -- and even adds another mode (which is part of the new Audi Drive Select lexicon), "Efficiency" (but only IF the navigation system is installed.)

The "official speak" further states:

"Both the controlled chassis and the standard S sport chassis lower the body ride height by 0.9" compared to the base A4 model (which is of course simply proves the accuracy of that catchy phrase: "Ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny").

Then as if what was just said was OBVIOUS, the subject of the CDC is dropped like a super-hot rock as we move onto "largely dimensioned brake discs." I'm not even sure "dimensioned" is a word, pretty sure it isn't, in fact.

I could just scream.

While I would, probably, like the have the sport differential, the discussion of the BBTV makes it seem "acceptable" for what I would think I would likely encounter as I, all too frequently, putt-putt along on one of the perpetually clogged Interstates surrounding Cincinnati, Ohio, America, Earth (where I live).

But, gawd, I did EXPECT the real-deal "S" suspension that I was led to believe my very nice riding and handling 2014 S4 came with (apparently at birth).

What then -- in the wide, wide world of sports (suspensions) -- does "Sport adaptive damping suspension" mean for Crissakes?!

Thank you.

End of rant.

adg44

I am and I have

gk1

Wow mark, that certainly was a rant.
Not trying to be smart but won't the sport adaptive damping suspension just be the same electronically valved dampers (CDC) from the B8 adaptive suspension presumably with different valve settings.
FWIW the CDC dampers are also used on the air ride equipped S6/S7 RS7 and A/S8. And available on the A6/A7 outside US. For those cars Audi literature does say the S models have S-specific tuning of the air ride....but as you have seen what precisely that means is unclear. I can only assume firmer ride having never had the chance to drive an A8 and S8 back-back to find out for sure but it's a pretty safe bet.
As it stands right now I believe the magnetic damper suspensions are only used on the 3, TT, and R8. Which tends to make me think the magnetic ride is better suited to lighter cars and CDC with either steel or air springs is more well suited to heavier cars.