CEB

A car with S-Line gets a sport suspension and a car with ADS with the adaptive suspension. If you order both options, is there a difference in the ADS suspension from the non-S-line car?

dk1

If you order ADS you will get the same suspension no matter what other options you pick. So ADS/ADS+sport package/ADS+S-line - all the same suspension.

CEB

...but I wanted to make sure...

markcincinnati

That does not seem to be the conclusion of Road & Track for they tested a sport suspension A4 and an A4 with ADS and NO sport suspension and they claimed there was a difference.

need_TQM

As I understand it, the springs on ADS and sport are the same for N/A. In Europe the S-line is another 10mm lower, and likely has a bit higher spring rates as a result.

ADS has adjustable dampers vs. the fixed rate ones on a non-ads suspension.

As I see it -- there are 3 pieces that would alter things here.

1) The wheel size/tires would be an "equivilant" spring rate
The 19" rims on the Prestige sport would be different than the 18" rims w/o the sport pkg.

2) Actual springs -- non-sport gets a lower rate spring than sport or ADS cars. US S-line is same as sport/ADS.

3) Dampers. Non-sport are lower rates than sport (obviously), but ADS can vary from even lower than the non-sport to considerably higher (stiffer) than the sport dampers.

Hope that helped.

Scotty (UK)

European suspension seems to be deliberately confusing.

S-line spec cars come as standard with "Sports Suspension" which is 20mm drop from standard
There's a free option of "S-line suspension" which is 30mm drop from standard but you can't have it with 19" wheels

bigarms

That is incorrect. You do not get a suspension upgrade when you get ADS. ADS is just adaptive throttle , steering and dampening of suspension.When you get the S-line package , it comes with the sports suspension that you would get when you order the sport package.therefore suspension wise , ADS + sport = to ADS + s-line .ADS with nothing else,will have the original suspension.

need_TQM

An Audi of america document "2009 Audi A4 Product Information" dated 5/21/2008 has the following for "Audi Drive Select"

Audi Drive Select system
Includes the following hardware:
Adaptive suspension system
- Variable hydraulic suspension dampers
- Sport suspension springs (20mm lower than normal)
Dynamic steering system
- Variable assist (Servotronic) steering (already standard on A4)
- Variable ratio dynamic steering

bigarms

that's dated may of 2008 , it's most likely copied from the UK document because they get 20mm lower with sport and 30mm with s-line.

need_TQM

Not sure I follow your point -- yes UK and other Euro countries have 20mm and 30mm suspension options, we here in North America don't.

The point I was making in my previous post is that this document (from Audi of America, not from a UK document) states that ADS uses the sport springs, not the std springs.

I've attached the document.