Best Audi R8 Coilovers & Suspension (2016-2023 4S)

The best Audi R8 coilovers and suspension for the 2016-2023 Type 4S range from a $549 set of Eibach lowering springs to KW's $14,594 Hydraulic Lift System with V4 coilovers. Your 5.2-liter V10 supercar rides on either passive dampers or Audi's optional Magnetic Ride adaptive suspension, and that single detail decides which upgrade path is right for you. In this guide we break down the five suspension kits we actually install on the Gen 2 R8 at our Tampa, FL shop, what each one does to ride height, damping, and ground clearance, and which owners should keep Magnetic Ride versus replace it entirely.

How Do You Choose Suspension for the 2016-2023 Audi R8 (Type 4S)?

Choosing Audi R8 suspension comes down to one question: does your car have Magnetic Ride? The second-generation R8 (Type 4S, built 2016-2023 and sold in the U.S. from the 2017 model year) uses a 5.2-liter naturally aspirated V10 producing 532 to 602 horsepower, and it left the factory with either fixed passive dampers or Audi's optional Magnetic Ride adaptive damping. A full coilover replaces the factory dampers, which switches Magnetic Ride off; adjustable lowering springs reuse the OE dampers, so Magnetic Ride stays fully active. That difference drives price, adjustability, and installation complexity.

In practical terms, there are three tiers. Lowering springs ($549-$1,864) drop the car 0.5 to 1.4 inches on the original dampers – cheapest, MagRide-friendly, install in an afternoon. Coilovers ($4,005-$4,572) give independent ride-height and damping control but retire Magnetic Ride. The KW HLS package ($14,594) adds a hydraulic nose lift on top of V4 race dampers – the no-compromise flagship for owners who track the car and daily it. Below are the five kits we recommend, ordered from flagship to budget.

What Are the 5 Best Audi R8 (4S) Suspension Kits?

1. KW HLS with V4 Coilovers – Best Overall

This is the suspension we recommend for any 4S owner who tracks the car and still needs to clear speed bumps and steep garage entries. The KW V4 coilover gives you independent adjustment of rebound plus low-speed and high-speed compression damping – the same architecture KW uses in professional motorsport – so you can run a firm circuit setup and soften it back down for the street. The integrated HLS (Hydraulic Lift System) hydraulically raises the front axle up to 45 mm in roughly three seconds, activated from a cabin switch, and the cylinder sits between the spring perch and spring so there is no unwanted extra suspension travel while driving. It fully replaces Magnetic Ride, which is exactly why serious drivers choose it: the V4 damper out-adjusts anything the factory magnetorheological system can do.

2. H&R RSS+ Coilover – Best Coilover Value

If you want true coilover ride-height control without the flagship price, the H&R RSS+ is the value pick at $4,572 (down from $5,080). It is a monotube, height-adjustable coilover with sport-tuned damping, and H&R builds it in fitment-specific versions: part 32132-2 for cars originally equipped with adaptive suspension, and part 32132-1 ($4,005) for cars without adaptive suspension. Like any coilover, it replaces the OE dampers, so Magnetic Ride is retired. Owners chasing a purposeful stance and sharper turn-in without going full three-way get most of the benefit here for roughly a third of the KW HLS price.

3. KW Height Adjustable Spring Kit – Best for Keeping Magnetic Ride

The KW Height Adjustable Spring Kit (HAS) is the sweet spot for owners who love Magnetic Ride and refuse to give it up. It swaps in threaded-body springs that let you dial in ride height at each corner while keeping the factory Magnetic Ride dampers – so you get an aggressive, adjustable stance and full adaptive damping. At $1,864 it costs a fraction of a coilover, installs without any electronic cancellation hardware, and preserves the factory ride quality on rough Florida pavement. This is the kit we fit most often on daily-driven 4S cars.

4. H&R VTF Adjustable Lowering Springs – Best Adjustable Springs

H&R's VTF (Verstellbare Tieferlegungsfeder, or adjustable lowering spring) system bridges the gap between a fixed lowering spring and a coilover. You get a tunable drop – slide the perch to fine-tune how low the car sits – while still running the factory Magnetic Ride dampers, so the adaptive system stays intact. At $1,152 (down from $1,280) it is the pick for owners who want to experiment with ride height on a MagRide car without committing to coilover money. H&R backs its springs with a lifetime warranty.

5. Eibach Pro-Kit Springs – Best Budget Drop

At $549, the Eibach Pro-Kit is the most affordable way to lose the wheel gap. This set of four progressive-rate springs lowers the R8 roughly 0.8 inches for a subtle, factory-plus stance that improves the center of gravity and cuts body roll without wrecking ride quality. It bolts to the OE dampers – Magnetic Ride included – and Eibach covers it with the Million Mile Warranty. For owners who want a cleaner look and a mild handling bump on a strict budget, this is the entry point.

Audi R8 4S Suspension Comparison Chart

Here is how the five kits stack up on the attributes that matter most to a 4S buyer – type, adjustability, whether Magnetic Ride survives, and price. Tap any name or price to view the product.

Coilovers vs. Springs: What Happens to Magnetic Ride?

A full coilover disables Magnetic Ride, while adjustable lowering springs keep it fully active. Audi's Magnetic Ride uses magnetorheological dampers – fluid whose stiffness changes with an electric current – controlled by the car's ECU. When you install coilovers like the KW V4 or H&R RSS+, you physically remove those adaptive dampers, and the car will log a suspension fault and light a warning unless the circuit is addressed.

That is where the KW Electronic Damping Cancellation Kit ($583.95) comes in. It plugs into the factory harness and simulates the OE dampers so the ECU stays happy after you switch to coilovers – no dash warning, no limp-mode drama. If keeping Magnetic Ride matters more to you than outright adjustability, skip the coilover entirely and choose the KW Height Adjustable Spring Kit, H&R VTF springs, or Eibach Pro-Kit, all of which reuse the factory adaptive dampers.

What Should You Expect During Installation?

Plan on a professional install for any 4S suspension upgrade. Lowering springs on the R8 are a 3-to-5 hour job because the mid-engine layout, aluminum spaceframe, and low ground clearance make spring compression and alignment access tighter than on a typical sedan. Coilovers add time for setup: after mounting, the car needs a corner balance (adjusting each perch so weight is distributed evenly) and a full four-wheel alignment to set camber, caster, and toe.

A few things we tell every R8 owner in our Tampa shop: always torque the suspension fasteners at ride height, not on a lift with the wheels hanging, or you will preload the bushings. Budget for an alignment every time you change ride height – even a small drop shifts camber on the R8. And if your car has Magnetic Ride and you are moving to coilovers, order the cancellation kit up front so the job is done in one visit. Set ride height with fuel and driver weight accounted for so the numbers hold up in the real world.