sted24 said:
To briefly revive this thread,
I have put in an order for a 2.0D AWD and at the moment have not opted for the Dynamics Pack. At the moment I am currently driving an Audi S3 and do enjoy the sportier/firmer suspension. Based off this, would you say it would be worthwhile to include the Dynamics Pack rather than just relying on, as YVR Racer put it, the poor man's dynamic S selection?
I would make the adaptive dynamics a priority from the option list, for sure. On Saturday I drove two cars back to back, the first having adaptive dynamics and the second without. The first also had the massive 22" wheels whereas the second had 20" or 19". Which will make what I am about to share even more profound...
With adaptive dynamics the ride was pretty close to flawless. The Normal setting was good on rutted surfaces and we even drove over a cobbled town square. Yes, you can feel the cobbles but the suspension soaks up the worst and nothing rattles, even my bones! On the Sport setting the car is great in bends and handles wonderfully, but the ride is still not harsh. Jaguar have pulled off a minor miracle here, really.
Without adaptive dynamics the ride was more direct and we could feel the surface imperfections of the road resonate through the car. It wasn't bad and if your budget can't stretch to this option then don't fret, it won't spoil the ownership experience, at least not on wheels up to 20". But it was twitchy and the adaptive dynamics give you the very best experience, clearly noticeable and worth the investment if you have the pennies. The standard suspension seems set somewhere between the two modes of the adaptive version and so is a 'jack of all trades, master of neither' by comparison.
And if you have ordered the 2.0d Ingenium car then there's another good reason why this option pack is money well spent, and you're going to like this a lot....
....your car will actually handle better than the S version in the bends! And you can't say that about most aspects of the two trim levels. The reason is that your Ingenium engine weighs less and so the car is more nimble on the turn, less prone to dipping forward under braking and the initial feeling of understeer. Only at the margins, mind you but it does feel that bit more agile. Even I detected it and I am not the world's greatest driver.
So go on, tick that box. Tick it ahead of any of those toys that are luxuries and which, after six months, you will have forgotten. With the adaptive dynamics option you will appreciate the money you spent every day for the lifetime of your ownership of the car, promise! It's a car, to be driven so I would choose this option over things that beep, flash, turn funny colours etc.
You will not regret it, money well spent.
Regards, Arianne
PS. one of the reasons I am so keen on adaptive dynamics is because I currently have passive, fixed suspension on my Volvo R-design XC60 with 20" wheels. Handles reasonably well on country roads for a Volvo because the suspension has been stiffened on this model. But it's quite harsh over surface imperfections, cats eyes, expansion joints and around town.