If you had to choose Drive Select Vs. Sport Pkg

[MoroB7Sline]

So I'm thinking of ordering a new B8 Avant in white and I'm torn between 2 option packages. I can't decide between the Drive Select and the Sport Package.

On the one hand the sport package gives you nicer rims (but you can go aftermarket), 3 spoke steering wheel with shift paddles, and bolstered sport seats, and so called sport suspension. These items only marginally make the car sportier in my opinion.

On the otherhand, for a little more money, there's the Audi Drive select which I've had the chance to sample. This actually changes the characteristic of the car quite drastically and allows you to have a vitual 2-cars-in-one at the click of a button. The down side is that you have to live with a 4 spoke trucker style steering wheel and rental/fleet car rims.

If you had to choose between the 2 choices which would you go with assuming that both is not an option.

[Daft]

I was blown away at the versatility of the Drive Select system. You can drive the car calmly in comfort mode when you aren't in a rush and it drives like a luxury car. With a press of the dynamic button and it's 180 degrees from calm.

Granted, it has a lot of new components that are going to be more expensive to replace and once your warranty ends, that will be the time that one would expect fancy bits like that to start acting up.

Hopefully, Audi has done extensive engineering (as usual) and made these unique components more durable than one would imagine.

Even still, I'd rather have the Drive Select, pick my own wheels and make do with the seats they gave me.

[toothysaw2]

while i think the drive select is the better option because it's awesome. i think you should get both, because with the sport suspension i believe the car sits quite a bit lower. with the regular suspension + drive select there's still a lot of wheel gap.

my salesperson told me these two things are not mutually exclusive (having sports suspension and drive select)

[BMWBig6]

Drive Select includes the sports suspension. There is no difference between ride height for sports suspension or "standard" suspension for a car equipped with Drive Select. Both are lowered 20mm compared to stock (no Drive Select). It's not an advertised feature, and I doubt Audi will call attention to it since they are asking buyers to pay for the sports suspension twice if they want both Drive Select and the Sport Package.

[toothysaw2]

^^ if that's true then the sport suspension on B8's have a lot more wheel gap than there was on the B7. that's horribly disappointing, and i wonder if lowering with drive select would even be possible.

[BD997]

^^ if that's true then the sport suspension on B8's have a lot more wheel gap than there was on the B7. that's horribly disappointing, and i wonder if lowering with drive select would even be possible.

Im sure you can as I had a 997 with PASM which is basically the same thing as the Audi's select suspension and I slammed it to the ground. The only thing is that all 3 suspension options become a bit stiffer due to the car being lower...

[boomer]

So I'm thinking of ordering a new B8 Avant in white and I'm torn between 2 option packages. I can't decide between the Drive Select and the Sport Package.

On the one hand the sport package gives you nicer rims (but you can go aftermarket), 3 spoke steering wheel with shift paddles, and bolstered sport seats, and so called sport suspension. These items only marginally make the car sportier in my opinion.

On the otherhand, for a little more money, there's the Audi Drive select which I've had the chance to sample. This actually changes the characteristic of the car quite drastically and allows you to have a vitual 2-cars-in-one at the click of a button. The down side is that you have to live with a 4 spoke trucker style steering wheel and rental/fleet car rims.

If you had to choose between the 2 choices which would you go with assuming that both is not an option.

Well I am biased in that I did the prestige package with drive select and couldn't be happier with the drive select and I think the 18 inch rims on this package are fairly decent. I believe sport package also has only summer tires as an option and in Toronto this may be an issue unless planning on winter tires anyway.

[DeMOROlized]

^^ if that's true then the sport suspension on B8's have a lot more wheel gap than there was on the B7. that's horribly disappointing, and i wonder if lowering with drive select would even be possible.

I test drove an A4 with ADS. The wheel gap is less than my B7 with sports suspension. If sports suspension gap = ADS gap then it should be fine.

[4-tified]

So I'm thinking of ordering a new B8 Avant in white and I'm torn between 2 option packages. I can't decide between the Drive Select and the Sport Package.

On the one hand the sport package gives you nicer rims (but you can go aftermarket), 3 spoke steering wheel with shift paddles, and bolstered sport seats, and so called sport suspension. These items only marginally make the car sportier in my opinion.

On the otherhand, for a little more money, there's the Audi Drive select which I've had the chance to sample. This actually changes the characteristic of the car quite drastically and allows you to have a vitual 2-cars-in-one at the click of a button. The down side is that you have to live with a 4 spoke trucker style steering wheel and rental/fleet car rims.

If you had to choose between the 2 choices which would you go with assuming that both is not an option.

I'd go for the actual REAL "sport pkg" from Audi.
The seats, tires, and suspension are REAL performance enhancers.

I'd like to know how much better the drive select, set to sport, is compared to the non adjustable settings of the sport pkg.

[BMWBig6]

Ask and you shall receive. Here is how much better Audi considers their Drive Select vs. sport (and standard) suspensions...

[quattro.it]

Interesting, where did you find this information? What this graph tells me is that the ADS has a wider range of adjustment including a setting that is stiffer than the standard sport suspension.

[BMWBig6]

gk1 posted it on AW. I think it's from some Audi technical documentation, but can't remember the source.

Not only is Drive Select ultimately stiffer, the exciting thing (for me), is how "comfortable" it can be too. Looks like it would compare favorably with standard suspension comfort, even with shorter springs.

[4-tified]

Ask and you shall receive. Here is how much better Audi considers their Drive Select vs. sport (and standard) suspensions...

Thanks for the graph.

It looks like select would be a bit more linear in rebound damping compared to sport. However, I'm interested in how all this translates to actual performance. I'm sure select suspension is sweet, but how much "better" would it really be in real world driving?

It seems that select is more intended to give a broader suspension range, meaning it can give a great ride while cruising and then give good control in sport driving. That's a good thing.
Still, BMW and, to a lesser degree, Audi tune their sport suspensions to work nicely all around.

I tend to always like a firmer ride either while cruising or sport driving.

I would still go with the sport pkg. over select because of the seats and wheels/tires.

[MoroB7Sline]

Well after, much consideration and taking everyone's feedback into account. I decided on getting the Avant equipped with the Sports Package. The primary reasons, for me anyways, was that although the Audi Drive Select is a really nice bit of kit, I couldn't walk away from the visual and tangible improvements that the Sport Package offered for a very reasonable price.

I figured that I wouldn't even be able to buy aftermarket rims and tires for the price of the Sports Package (rims and tires, sport suspension, sport seats, sport steering wheel with paddle shifters).

I was also nervous about the prospect of something going wrong with the Drive Select suspension system say 2-3 years down the road. What if the shocks started to wear or leak during the warrantee period? Could Audi say that shocks are a wear and tear item much like brake pads or windshield wiper blades? One could be on the hook to replace some very expensive (Porsche derived???) shocks.

I'll go with the touchy feely cosmetic upgrades of the sport package for now and enjoy the steering wheel, suspension, and seats on a daily basis. It was a tough choice though...

Thanks guys

[RLM]

dont forget to post pics

[toothysaw2]

i was at audi driving experience yesterday and asked about drive select vs. sport suspension. both people i asked said you can get both packages and that the springs are different and that sport suspension with drive select would be lower that just drive select.

[jonmiles]

Drive Select includes the sports suspension. There is no difference between ride height for sports suspension or "standard" suspension for a car equipped with Drive Select. Both are lowered 20mm compared to stock (no Drive Select). It's not an advertised feature, and I doubt Audi will call attention to it since they are asking buyers to pay for the sports suspension twice if they want both Drive Select and the Sport Package.

Audi Drive Select DOES NOT include the sport suspension. It is only the active dampners, steering and throttle. If you want to get the car lowerd, you still have to opt for the sport suspension, which also gives you sport seats, and badass wheels.

[BMWBig6]

Audi Drive Select DOES NOT include the sport suspension. It is only the active dampners, steering and throttle. If you want to get the car lowerd, you still have to opt for the sport suspension, which also gives you sport seats, and badass wheels.

I should clarify. Drive Select includes a sports suspension (not necessarily THE same "sports suspension" available as a separate option). The Drive Select suspension is definitely lower than the standard suspension, and it's obviously not accomplishing that with dampers alone.

[4-tified]

I should clarify. Drive Select includes a sports suspension (not necessarily THE same "sports suspension" available as a separate option). The Drive Select suspension is definitely lower than the standard suspension, and it's obviously not accomplishing that with dampers alone.

The dampers (shocks) wouldn't be a part to determine the ride height, alone or otherwise.
The ride height, in a standard suspension, is determined by the spring rate, length, and weight of the vehicle acting on the springs.
The dampers are there to control the spring motions, not to determine ride height.

Using a dampers compression circuit to affect ride height is asking to trouble, resulting in improper spring control leading to bad ride, bad/dangerous handling, or both.

[BMWBig6]

The dampers (shocks) wouldn't be a part to determine the ride height, alone or otherwise.
The ride height, in a standard suspension, is determined by the spring rate, length, and weight of the vehicle acting on the springs.
The dampers are there to control the spring motions, not to determine ride height.

Using a dampers compression circuit to affect ride height is asking to trouble, resulting in improper spring control leading to bad ride, bad/dangerous handling, or both.

Exactly. That's what I was trying to imply (that the springs must be different between standard and ADS suspension, since the dampers shouldn't affect ride height) .