More Lowering
The previous generation Audi A6 is a sharp car. I happen to really like the clean Bauhaus style that Audis had before Walter d'Silva took over design at the house of four rings. It was all about form following function and clean aerodynamics. Cars like the Audi TT and the A6 just plain look German with their wide bottomed stance and narrow greenhouses. But, like most German cars taking the trip across the ocean, ride height is increased thanks to various regulations and road conditions, ruining the originally intended design.
And this is where mild lowering springs come in. As I've noted on the Mazda 6 project car way back when, and the M3 project just a few entries ago, sport springs not only bring the bodies down to where the designers originally envisioned, they also aid in handling by lowering the center of gravity.
Above is the Audi at stock ride height. Note the substantial gap between the top of the tire and the fender lip-- it almost looks exagerated.
Here is the Audi after installation of a set of Eibach Pro-kit http://www.eibach.com/cgi-bin/start.exe/eibach/index.html sport springs, (only $245 plus install). What a difference! The stock ride height in the front was 26 7/8 inches before and 25 3/8 after. At the rear the stock ride height was 27 inches before and 25 7/8 after. These measurements were taken right after installation, we expect the springs to settle maybe another 1/4 inch before all is said and done. But even at an inche to inch and a half, the car is transformed from good looking to great.
Here is a closer before and after view.
The owner called back a few days after picking the car up and mentioned what an improvement the springs made in ride and handling-- taking away all of the float that was part of the old OEM springs.
Along with the springs, we did a quick ECU reprogram. Thanks to the turbo engine, Powerchip http://www.powerchipgroup.com/index.asp was able to find a reliable 40 hp and 40 lbs-ft of torque extra. Now the A6 has the benefit of 290 hp versus the standard 250 hp, which we don't need to say is a big improvement. Added power from the drivetrain and better handling for the sport springs have turned this standard issue Audi into a real sports sedan.