4 Popular Sports Cars With Air Suspension (With Pictures)

Suspension for a car is a real blessing regarding smoothing over bumps and potholes on rough roads. Better suspension means you will have a much smoother driving experience and it can also improve handling.

With air suspension, this has been taken to a whole new level on modern cars. Even though it is a bit more expensive, it has improved off-roading capabilities.

In this article, we’re going through some popular sports that come with air suspension. Modern cars are a blessing, especially when they come with innovative suspension systems.

Let’s get straight into it.

1. 2021 Mercedes-Benz GT

Just a simple look at the 2021 Mercedes-Benz GT will let you know that the German sports car is a marvel. It is then no surprise that it is fitted with Mercedes’s Airmatic air suspension system.

On the 2021 GT, the ride is made smooth using the AMG Ride Control sports suspension with adaptive dampers. This is one of the German company’s most advanced air suspension systems.

Even though the GT is a high-speed car that takes 3.7 seconds to reach 60 mph, it still feels smooth and not bumpy. The air suspension of the GT has adaptive dampers that also contribute to its handling and smoothness.

“AMG Ride Control” on the GT allows you to adjust suspension stiffness and damping according to road conditions. It is just another step to ensure that the driver has control over how the car behaves under certain road conditions.

The 2021 Mercedes-AMG GT has an extremely powerful engine that can compete against some of the best in the world. It has a beefy V8 engine with 720 horsepower which is great for track days.

As you’d expect from the German brand, the interior of the GT lineup is just as impressive. You get luxury materials throughout the interior, a classy infotainment system and a sporty-looking steering wheel.

There have been little to no problems with the GT’s air suspension systems so far and it should last up to 10 years with proper care and maintenance.

Replacement costs for the AMG GT are not cheap and could cost well over $1,100 for repairs and parts. It is not uncommon to find people quoted for repairs well over $1,500 on the GT.

The best way to go about fixing suspension trouble on a 2021 Mercedes-AMG GT is to go directly to a Merc dealership. Not only will they have the necessary knowledge, but they’ll also have the correct parts for your particular model.

2. 2022 Volkswagen Golf GTI

Volkswagen GTI is one of the most innovative sports cars from the German manufacturer because of price and value. The adaptive air suspension on the 2022 VW GTI is redesigned to have a sportier feel to it.

The hatchback’s redesigned sports suspension now features harsher settings for a better driving experience. This suspension is not only sportier, but it also adds to the GTI’s handling capabilities.

It is important to note that not all variants of this 8th Gen GTI have adaptive air suspension. The feature comes as an upgrade in the “Autobahn” trim for an increased cost of around $37,995.

Most GTI fans opt to go for the variant that does come with the adaptive suspension to allow for adjusting the feel of the car. You can choose from 15 options so that you get the best out of the suspension, depending on the road surface.

The standard hatchback of the GTI is about 15mm higher than the one with adaptive dampers. When “sport” mode is selected, the ride is stiffer than in “comfort” mode.

Being able to adjust the suspension feel is a great option because not all roads are the same. A racing track will need different settings compared to city or highway driving.

At around 100,000 miles on the clock, it has been reported that the GTI seems to have problems with the suspension. Sometimes the dampers get worn out and result in a bumpy ride.

Thanks to its nimble driving manners, the GTI is an ideal sport car for beginner drivers.

3. Tesla Model S Plaid

As one of the most sought-after cars in recent times, the Tesla Model S Plaid delivers a luxurious and smooth ride. This is due to the well-designed Tesla Adaptive Suspension equipped in the Model S.

Tesla Adaptive Suspension allows the car to adjust the air suspension depending on the road surface. The car will automatically sense the road surface and lower or heighten the suspension accordingly.

With air suspension, the ride quality of a Model S is smoother and the handling is improved on rough road surfaces. Compared to a traditional spring-based suspension system in older cars, air suspension is way better.

The Model S got air suspension after the 2014 trim that came with traditional coil spring suspension. Tesla models after 2014 then started being equipped with Adaptive Suspension.

Tesla also calls it “Smart Air Suspension” because it does not require input from the driver to adjust. The advanced software can automatically adjust suspension height according to saved data points.

You also have the ability to look at the saved data points if you want to delete or modify them in the future. This is a great software feature because it allows the driver much more control of the suspension system.

Even though not a lot of complaints have surfaced about Tesla’s suspension, it can be costly to fix. If a problem arises, you will have to cough up around $500 to about $2,000 to fix the Tesla air suspension system.

Make sure to also check out article about sport cars without power steering if you want to have a more complete driving experience.

4. Audi A5 Coupe

The alluring A5 is a sport sedan and lives up to expectations as one of the best sedans from the German company. The A5’s luxurious and smooth can be attested to its height-adjustable air ride suspension system.

The air suspension on this sports sedan is easily one of the best in the industry and was developed back in 2018. It allows both the front and rear suspension to be height adjusted for a comfortable ride.

The suspension system on the A5 is innovative and allows modes such as comfort, auto, dynamic and individual. These modes adjust damper controls and cruise control functions.

In sport mode, the suspension can be lowered as much as 23mm for a sportier and quirky ride. Suspension system components such as anti-roll bars, dampers, and linear-rate springs are adjusted accordingly.

Another mode, “comfort adaptive damping suspension” lowers the height by about 10mm for an even smoother ride. These modes are also available on the Audi S5 models, but the S5 also has dynamic steering which is not available in the A5.

As you’d expect with one of the greatest German car companies, the A5 has advanced driver assistance features.

Among others, you get rear cross traffic assist, adaptive cruise control with stop and go, traffic sign recognition and Audi’s active lane assist.

This sports sedan is designed with a performance element as proven by the exterior design. You can easily tell from the 19-inch sporty performance wheels, the classy grille, and the xenon plus headlights.

When it comes to the interior, the Audi A5 keeps its signature classy and luxurious looks with the 3-spoke steering that has shift paddles. Automatic climate control and powered seats are easily accessible to control.

The interior looks rather classy and is made with premium materials such as high gloss aluminum inlays. The cabin comes to life when you open up the panoramic sunroof to let some light in.

The Audi Connect infotainment system in the A5 is a marvel with a 12.3-inch touchscreen display. The system is very responsive and colors are crispy due to the NVIDIA® quad-core processor.

On top of Audi Connect’s compatibility with Apple Carplay and Android Auto, the system can also get online. With the help of 4G LTE connectivity, the A5 is able to use features such as a remote lock and an online car finder.

There’s no arguing that the German-made car is ahead of its time in terms of features such as its air suspension system and driver assistance features.

Please also read our article about sport cars with high ground clearance. 

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