S Sport Package - Necessary?

[1flossedS4]

Looking at picking up a 18+ S4, is this option THAT necessary as in do you really notice the handling differences?

[NC_Detail_Garage]

I'm a fan of the red calipers and mag ride, especially on lowered suspension. You'll find a bunch of opinions on the importance of the diff but I think the package is worth it.

[1flossedS4]

I'm a fan of the red calipers and mag ride, especially on lowered suspension. You'll find a bunch of opinions on the importance of the diff but I think the package is worth it.

Does the car ride better with the mag ride or stiffer? This would be a DD

[NC_Detail_Garage]

Does the car ride better with the mag ride or stiffer? This would be a DD

I haven't ridden in a non-mag ride one the ability to switch from dynamic/auto/comfort depending on who is in the car has been helpful. I'm on ABT HAS so it's stiffer than stock already.

[thermobryan]

I dont have it, and don't care tbh. I got mine for $52k new.

[Microcap]

I would highly recommend it. Drove both before making my purchase. I do track my car twice or three times a year and I was so happy i went with the Sport package.

[HurrayFive]

If you're looking at CPO anyway, try one on the lot with & without it, sport diff makes the rear end way more fun and responsive at all speeds, even u-turns are a little bit easier and require less space than you'd think. Put each car in Dynamic and put ECS in Sport and take a hard right or left turn at 15-20MPH and plant the gas as you're turning, with the sport diff you'll feel the back end rotate out on you for a second or two but in a way that feels totally controlled before it pulls itself back. You have to drive the standard car much harder to get anything from the backend like that, it's def noticeable if you drive them back to back (I thought so anyway), and will let you feel each suspension in Dynamic. If you can't tell a difference...don't spend the extra $$!

[-LoneStar-]

Does the car ride better with the mag ride or stiffer? This would be a DD

Yes I believe the ride is better and more compliant with the mag ride. I drove a standard suspension car with 18" wheels and didn't like it at all. Felt really under dampened and not as crisp and tight as the mag ride.

If you're looking at CPO anyway, try one on the lot with & without it, sport diff makes the rear end way more fun and responsive at all speeds, even u-turns are a little bit easier and require less space than you'd think. Put each car in Dynamic and put ECS in Sport and take a hard right or left turn at 15-20MPH and plant the gas as you're turning, with the sport diff you'll feel the back end rotate out on you for a second or two but in a way that feels totally controlled before it pulls itself back. You have to drive the standard car much harder to get anything from the backend like that, it's def noticeable if you drive them back to back (I thought so anyway), and will let you feel each suspension in Dynamic. If you can't tell a difference...don't spend the extra $$!

Pretty much this 100%. You actually can feel the car rotate even at slow speeds. It sends power to the outside wheel of the turn thus causing you to turn in better. Its actually an eerie feeling the first time you feel it as I've never had a vehicle with an E-Diff in the past.

[oc cc]

I dont have it on my B9 and instead put that money towards wheels, tires, lowering springs, swaybar and strut tower brace. If you track it, it is definitely needed. If you drive like a grandpa, obviously it is a waste. But for people like me in the middle, who don't track but still like to go canyon carving, the stock suspension is perfectly adequate and still very fun. I do regret not getting the B&O speakers though...

[ampitts]

Definitely worth every penny for the diff alone.

[Burrcold]

Unless you are really pushing the car the sport diff doesn't make THAT much difference. That being said, the adaptive suspension is a must in my opinion. I've owned one with the Sport package and one without. I'd actually take the dynamic steering that I have now over the sport diff but that's a whole other comparison.

[Montoya fan]

I asked this same question in another thread. I ended up going with a pretty loaded up prestige with warm weather package, and black optics. What it doesn’t have is s sport package. I think the ride is very comfortable and coming from a 2017 s3 with magnetic ride and a haldex based front wheel drive most of the time system I think the real Quattro is great in comparison. S3 rode like a log wagon. I did drive one with s line and can’t say that it was a huge difference, but being able to adjust is nice. I’m putting on a rear sway bar and changing the springs and calling it a day. It’s an s4 so it’s rear biased anyway. I have no regrets on not getting it.

[Burrcold]

The fixed suspension is very good and mostly comfortable, but it crashes over bumps and potholes pretty hard. And if your roads are rough, a lot of bumps are felt throughout the cabin (still comfortable just not a lot of flex). The adaptive suspension is still "sporty" even in comfort, but it evens out the small imperfections in the road and doesn't crash on the larger stuff. Really depends what you're looking for in the ride comfort.

[milestonenong]

Does the car ride better with the mag ride or stiffer? This would be a DD

I dont think S4 B9 equipped mag ride, however they called them adaptive suspension where it works differently from mag ride.

[HurrayFive]

I dont think S4 B9 equipped mag ride, however they called them adaptive suspension where it works differently from mag ride.

Yes, this is correct. Audi doesn't make this real clear, but the "sport adaptive suspension" is a CDC based setup, basically a dedicated chassis CPU that is continuously monitoring (thousands of times per second) and adjusting damper control via solenoids that control fluid between valves based on chassis angle sensors and a whole bunch of other data. It's not the same as "magna-ride", which is only used in Haldex based vehicle's and maaaybe some versions of the R8, I can't remember, which uses magnetorheological dampers (using the application of electrical current to control iron infused oil) to accomplish the same sort of thing.

The CDC setup introduced in the B9 is quite a bit more advanced than the magna-ride setup found on the S3, (and rides much better on harsh roads, even in Dynamic, as an example) but they are not the same thing.

[1flossedS4]

Looks like I need the package, I'll make it a priority. Thanks guys!

[jdmnomore]

Definitely a must. If the sport diff is an option I'd take it everytime. Remember these cars already want to oversteer by design so anything to counteract that is crucial. Not to mention the adjustability of the comfort level is nice for every day driving.

I don't track but everytime I get on an on ramp and everyone around me reduces speed I maintain highway speed and let the sport diff take care of the rest lol.

[brandonbanana]

Sports Diff & adaptive suspension is the best in my opinion. I live in Hawaii and there are a ton of loops and turns, especially coming in and out of the freeway off ramps are a treat on dry conditions. The car feels so planted, it's almost like a roller coaster. But if you aren't the type to drive enthusiastically all the time, then get the one without the sports diff.

[Bobby Kinstle]

This question comes up a couple times a year and it's always hotly debated. But it really depends on what you want to do with the car. If you are going to drive it hard, take hard corners, and enjoy solo drives that your passengers won't appreciate on occasion, then the S Sport package is highly desirable. The sport diff makes it corner like nothing before, and the adaptive suspension can adjust your ride from decently smooth to very firm either automatically or under your control. If you aren't ever going to drive the car like that and all your roads are smooth and nice, then you don't need it. Last time this came up I suggested that owners who aren't going to drive the car in a sporty fashion should seriously consider a fully loaded A4 instead since the A4 is actually quite fast on it own and will have lower maintenance and operation costs. Then everybody got offended and tried to act like they weren't buying the S4 just for the image at that point.

[VikSangha]

Looking at picking up a 18+ S4, is this option THAT necessary as in do you really notice the handling differences?

Yes, it is. I agree with above poster's analysis. S4, being an S model needs it, and the sports diff makes it a lot of fun exiting a corner much faster and cleaner.

[1flossedS4]

This question comes up a couple times a year and it's always hotly debated. But it really depends on what you want to do with the car. If you are going to drive it hard, take hard corners, and enjoy solo drives that your passengers won't appreciate on occasion, then the S Sport package is highly desirable. The sport diff makes it corner like nothing before, and the adaptive suspension can adjust your ride from decently smooth to very firm either automatically or under your control. If you aren't ever going to drive the car like that and all your roads are smooth and nice, then you don't need it. Last time this came up I suggested that owners who aren't going to drive the car in a sporty fashion should seriously consider a fully loaded A4 instead since the A4 is actually quite fast on it own and will have lower maintenance and operation costs. Then everybody got offended and tried to act like they weren't buying the S4 just for the image at that point.

Thanks for your insight, I do agree. I think for the ride quality adjustment alone it's worth it.

[BaumerS4]

Recently picked up a 2019 Infiniti Q60 Red Sport 400 for a daily driver (I work for Nissan) and I can say on the same Michigan roads my S4 rides much, much smoother with the adjustable suspension. The softest setting in the Q60 is still way more harsh than the S4 in Dynamic.

[BrockDM]

Recently picked up a 2019 Infiniti Q60 Red Sport 400 for a daily driver (I work for Nissan) and I can say on the same Michigan roads my S4 rides much, much smoother with the adjustable suspension. The softest setting in the Q60 is still way more harsh than the S4 in Dynamic.

This is interesting, my Q60 RS rode smoother than my S4 does. Not that the S4 is bad by any means but the suspension on the Q60 absorbed bumps much more.