Abc vs airmatic ride quality
08-23-2017, 02:56 PM
#1
Newbie
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2017
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
mercedes s320 (w220)
Abc vs airmatic ride quality
I currently own a 2001 s320 (w220) and love the airmatic suspension. I have owned the car since new and have decided to upgrade to something faster.
I have decided on either an s600 or s55 (w220)
I learnt that both those models have active body control instead of airmatic.
Would I notice the difference in day to day driving?
Yours
George
I have decided on either an s600 or s55 (w220)
I learnt that both those models have active body control instead of airmatic.
Would I notice the difference in day to day driving?
Yours
George
08-24-2017, 07:52 PM
#2
I currently own a 2001 s320 (w220) and love the airmatic suspension. I have owned the car since new and have decided to upgrade to something faster.
I have decided on either an s600 or s55 (w220)
I learnt that both those models have active body control instead of airmatic.
Would I notice the difference in day to day driving?
Yours
George
I have decided on either an s600 or s55 (w220)
I learnt that both those models have active body control instead of airmatic.
Would I notice the difference in day to day driving?
Yours
George
08-26-2017, 11:45 AM
#3
MBWorld Fanatic!
I agree with Tusabes since I have owned both versions. Even in comfort mode the ABC still seems like it is waiting to go through a bunch of twisters. Don't get me wrong it is still a very comfortable ride. However, I generally leave mine in sport mode 95% of the time.
08-26-2017, 01:05 PM
#4
MBWorld Fanatic!
Airmatic is a bit softer than ABC in bounce, but has a relatively stiff front roll bar, so when you have a big bump on one side, or worse a series of bumps, it can set off a rocking oscillation.
This is because the roll stiffness is much greater than the bounce stiffness, and the dampers are tuned for bounce, Therefore rocking oscillations are under-damped. ON a good road it won't make much difference, but it's very obvious on a bad road. ABC doesn't use anti-roll bars, and doesn't suffer at all. When you drive the cars back-to-back, it's quite obvious.
In spite of the roll bars, air-matic is quite rolly-polly, which is not unfitting for a luxury car, but ABC doesn't have that compromise, and really comes into it's own IMHO when you upgrade the wheels and tires.
My first ABC car had 17" wheels, and wasn't great. Now I run 275/30/20 all round, and it's dynamite. More rubber on the road gives ABC more work to do, and it's true benefit comes to the fore.
Nick
This is because the roll stiffness is much greater than the bounce stiffness, and the dampers are tuned for bounce, Therefore rocking oscillations are under-damped. ON a good road it won't make much difference, but it's very obvious on a bad road. ABC doesn't use anti-roll bars, and doesn't suffer at all. When you drive the cars back-to-back, it's quite obvious.
In spite of the roll bars, air-matic is quite rolly-polly, which is not unfitting for a luxury car, but ABC doesn't have that compromise, and really comes into it's own IMHO when you upgrade the wheels and tires.
My first ABC car had 17" wheels, and wasn't great. Now I run 275/30/20 all round, and it's dynamite. More rubber on the road gives ABC more work to do, and it's true benefit comes to the fore.
Nick
