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So I thought I had found my perfect car, S4 in Estoril blue, red and black leather, B&O sounds and advertised by the dealer as having a quattro sports diff.

Hooray, pending a test drive that was going to be my car. Turns out the dealer was wrong, having looked at the build sheet he says it doesn't have the optional extra sports diff but a normal quattro.

Gutted I am, but not having taken it for a test drive as yet, will I be disappointed? The car looks beautiful in every other way.

Has anyone experienced both? Should I hold out for longer? I currently have an A6 quattro, it's a bit of a barge but the quattro is reassuring in wet weather. I don't drive like a hooligan but will it always be at the back of my mind "I wish I had it?"

I don't have it and TBH not really noticed the car is still quick and sticks like... so unless it is a major deal breaker don't bother
personally I would drive it and see how it fairs

I'm in the same situation mate...found a White s4 & was advertised with sports diff...only later they confirmed that it hasn't got it.

I think I know more about the diff than the salesmen.

Not unusual TBH

I guess you cant have everything when you buy second hand. The car is great in every other way.

I had a 2009 s-tronic with the sports differential and kept it for a year then changed it to a 2011 manual without the sports differential (as I wanted a manual and finding a manual with the sports differential was extremely difficult).
Granted the sports differential (when it kicked in) gave me more confidence and it felt a little bit more planted but I do not miss it and for my style of driving, 95% of the time don't even notice it.
I also got worried about all the horror stories regarding the mechatronic units on earlier models and also about the leaking sports differential (not as common) hence the change.

I have upgraded my clutch and flywheel to the JHM stage 3 kit to handle the stage 2 power, added the H&R anti roll bars to the front and back, put on Goodyear Eagle F1s all round and I am more than happy with the handling of my car (even when compared to the sports diff configured one).

I'd say go try both if you can... but it would definitely not be a deal breaker for me without it.

Hope that helps a little.

Thanks for the replies guys and S4_V6T, you're info helps me a lot. She is back in my heart lol.

The speeds and approach you need to get to, on road, to make use of a sports diff will put you in a very dangerous place with your licence.

I really wouldn't be bothered with or without .

When I was looking for a B8 Avant Sports Diff and full ADS where my main requirements. I went to drive one that was listed as having both, but had neither. It seems many dealers list them as having the diff, I'm pretty sure they are aware the car doesn't have and probably just a ploy to entice people who aren't going to check. Fortunately the Audi dealership with said Avant also had a fully specced up pre-facelift saloon. That car handled considerably better. The non diff/ADS car just felt old skool typical vague and numb Audi by comparison. However, as one poster has mentioned, a set of aftermarket ARB's will make a marked improvement to the handling (I've done this to every Audi I've owned for this very reason). Personally I'd still want dynamic steering and damper control on the B8, but that's just me and I like some weight in the steering.

Thanks for the replies. I will give it a go and see if I like it as it is. If not there are a few other fish in the sea.

I've driven both sports and non and didn't notice much difference....however, I do have a supercharged Exige as a weekend toy and that makes audis seem very anodyne. In fairness, everything seems crap after getting out of that, including some seriously expensive metal, which is pretty good for a plastic tub built by norfolk turnip farmers.