Drive select in auto and ride height

[diecastsink]

Owners manual states that when the drive select is in auto, and adaptive air suspension exists, then at highway speeds (what ever that will be?) suspension will be lowered. Does this mean also stiffening the suspension as per dynamic, or only lowering the ride height by 10mm ? How can I recognice or verify that? I would prefer lowering but not stiffening, that' s why I ask.

I have also noticed few times that if I have raised the suspension, instead of 80 kph it will automatically lowered down at 100 kph, but haven' t figured out why it is so. Trailer connected the speed is 40 or was it 50 kph.

[jbanfie]

Hi my understanding is that when lowered it's stiffer yes, otherwise going over a bump would mean the suspension may hit the stops. I think the suspension only has two positions comfort and dynamic and auto just switches between the two dependant on road speed as you describe.

I spend most of my time in comfort suspension mode, my individual setting is the same as dynamic, except the suspension if you see what I mean.

[robbyg]

I reckon it lowers at speed but stays soft. Sometimes i change from dynamic to comfort or vice versa on the motorway. Dynamic to comfort feels like adding an extra cushion even at 85+mph.

I drive the car in one of two modes mostly:
1. me on my own, dynamic or individual (as per dynamic but gbox in comfort mode)
2. With wife and kids: comfort unless it gets twisty.

[diecastsink]

Found this (http://project-a8.info/parts/audi/ssp+collection/self-study+program/SSP480+Audi+A7+Running+gear+suspension.pdf) for A7. It says nothing about stiffening of suspension, but explains well the operation, see pages 13-14. Except on my vehicle, the automatic lowering happens usually at 80 kph but sometimes at 100 kph?

The motorway lowering happens only at "auto", so changing manually from dynamic to comfort adjusts the ride height to normal, too?
I feel also that it stays soft when in auto during M-speeds.

[robbyg]

Funnily enough I was experimenting with this last week on an empty m11 but never got round to posting.

over about 20 miles all above 85 mph, I switched between dynamic and comfort suspension setting via the individual mode. The car can certainly be run soft or stiff at that speed. You can definitely feel the difference.

what I can't tell is when it decided to-lower itself but at that speed i assume it was low all the time. The manual and brochure all say it lowers at x speed, no mention of need to be in dynamic, so I assume it can lower itself but remain soft. I certainly get excellent high speed fuel economy so assume it is doing just that.