This has been puzzling me for the last week since I got my FL Octy VRS,....I drove the octy vrs Petrol back in 2006 when it had not been out long, at the time I had my first mk 1Octy vrs running coilovers and arb's and found it to be a bit floaty at the front end, sort of felt a bit detached and too soft...ffwd 4 years and I took a PD170 2008 octy vrs out for a test drive and it felt pretty much the same with what seemed to be the tendency to understeer. I originally put this down to my modded Mk1 being pretty sorted in the handling department and being a bit of an unfair comparison. I test drove my current car and it felt totally different to the mk 2 but despite searching I cannot find anyone making reference to the FL having revised suspension setup over mk 2......is this the case, it just feels more surefooted, I'm not critizing the mk 2 just something that has been puzzling me

Edited 24 August, 201015 yr by daver

FLs built since November 09 have XDS software built into the stability program. This emulates a limited slip diff by braking the wheels and hence provides better traction while cornering.

This may go some way to explaining why the FL handles better than the old MKII. I found the same when I got my FL VRS, it seems much better in corners than the old MKII VRS PD 170 I used to have.

I to have found my new FL VRS to handle much better than my 2006 VRS, it is one of the main reasons I upgraded other

than the looks and going for boring diesel version to save cash. I have read many pre-reviews in car magazines and all have

mentioned that the suspension and steering have been tweaked for more sorted handling and the ride hight lower a small amount.

I did check this out while at the dealers by checking out how many fingers I could get between the tyre and the rear arch on my pre FL

and my FL version both with new tyres, and i can confirm the FL is slightly lower, not a scientific test I grant you but there is a difference.

It does surprise me Skoda have not made much of these changes, as like i said it was the main reason I brought it and now feel

the handle is spot on, I never thought the old to handle that well even from new, a tendency to under steer and to much body roll.

.

Well at least I now know it's not all in my mind, was pondering an uprated Rear ARB on it but not sure that it really needs it as the handling is very good already!