Does Air Suspension Really Mean You Can Have It All?

Air suspension is the reserve of high-end luxury saloons and low-riders who want adjustability in their ride height. It's not something to be fitted to a performance car, right? Accuair Suspensions disagrees, however, which is why The Smoking Tire's Matt Farah asked the question: can you really have it all; show car stance, race car handling and every day practicality?

The Accuair Suspension system on this 2013 Audi S4 is mounted in the car. An on-board air system facilitates immediate changes in ride height, allowing speed bumps and driveways to be tackled with ease. Anyone who has followed a decked Civic as it weaves slowly across railroad tracks will know the benefits.

The system has manual adjustments for each corner, and there are 3 pre-set modes: low, medium and high. The lowest setting is the stanced look, while high is actually half an inch higher than stock, allowing for easy navigation of obstacles. On the medium setting, Matt attacks a difficult, bumpy canyon road, and appears genuinely shocked at the suspension's performance. It's a little firmer than stock, but soaks up the bumps without feeling 'floaty' - perfect for confidence-inspiring hoonery.

The suspension is also auto-levelling, so if you pick up a passenger or load up the boot, it'll adjust for the weight. Should you be driving on a cambered road it'll account for that too, however adjustments are made every few seconds, so don't expect some hypercar-esque multiple times a millisecond alterations.

If you've got the money this Accuair system looks like a no-brainer. Matt sums it up nicely, saying "it is a package that improves both the look and show, and the handling at the limit, without giving anything up in terms of ground clearance or comfort."

So it seems you really can have it all. Shut up and take my money!

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