As an opposite viewpoint, I had a 2011 A4 with terrible downshift clunkiness when I first got the car. A ECU reprogram as a part of a service campaign resolved that. I don't think messing with the drive should be off-limits... but it does seem strange that it made your car more sedated.
Maybe the service campaign just reset the adaptations and it'll take a while before the car re-learns your driving habits?
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