Ride quality on non-magnetic ride R8?

[IS2000]

My first post here. We're excited about picking up our new Imola Yellow R8 in about a week. However, test driving is not possible because the rarity of these cars here. I have a question about the ride quality of the non-magnetic ride cars though. Is the set up too stiff for a daily use? Our family also has a Porsche 997 Carrera S with PASM and the ride quality is tolerable for the roads in Bangkok.

[mark25]

Do you mean the R8 doesnt come with mag ride? Very rare indeed as even tho it used to be an extra pretty much all R8s had it. Mag ride is a sport suspension setting tho so makes the suspension more firm. If you dont have it you will be in comfort mode all the time which is noticeably more comfortable hence the name :P I love mag ride tho as it makes the car feel so much tighter in the corners and more sporty!

[homewood]

I believe that magnetic ride suspension is not standard on the 4.2 but is on the 5.2. At least that is true for the Spyder in the US.

[Tanarg]

And I believe the Mag Ride is "Adaptive" i.e. it's on all the time. The switch in the car just makes the system "firm" all of the time, not adaptive.

[desperado]

I haven't driven a standard suspension in the R8, so can't comment on the subjective ride quality.

See the attachment for a chart showing the relative stiffness of the standard dampers and the AMR dampers. (EDIT: I updated the attachments)

[Bodhii]

Unless you are a full ridiculous, brainless, track fanatic, do NOT get rid of your Mag ride. The Mag ride is probably the most brilliant suspension ever made for a sports car. It is brilliant on the streets as well as on the track. Only an idiot would prefer a full race suspension for the streets. Really, keep the wonderful OEM Mag ride and thank the stars that you didn't get rid of it.

BTW, I ( see above description) do have a full race suspension, and I think the improvement over the OEM Mag ride on the track, driving 9/10's, is nominal at best. If I had it to do over again, I would not.

[IS2000]

We're not getting rid of the oem struts, but the car we're picking up comes with the standard suspension (it is a UK spec car). I guess Mag ride is standard on all US cars.

[Jagga Daku]

I drove both with & without mag ride before buying. Don't know about track use but on the road ride/handling was just as good without it. Also consider one less thing to go wrong and saves weight.

[harrison]

I call the Mag-ride a safety feature. If it saves my life, then worth the extra weight/cost. Sometimes the roads in the L.A. area have F1 style weaving, and passes and ...people slowing radically, while texting, etc. In other words...I get into sport mode before I even leave the garage. Drive defensibly my friends.

[CALBenzo]

I bottomed out (at least I think I did) the Mag-ride for the first time the other day. I was going over a large sweeping overpass from one freeway to another at about 70-80 mph. Apparently, there was an abrupt elevation change in the road, perhaps at one the expansion creases. I heard a big "thunk" and it felt like the bottom of the car hit the road or something. Fortunately I did not find any damage, although were were indications one the front tires that they hit the coverings inside the wells.