KW Suspensions KW Suspensions is a higher-end coilover company that makes upgrades for a wide range of performance cars. Now it’s expanding its offerings in the off-road world, with a “Safari Style” suspension range for the Porsche Cayenne, VW Touareg, and even the 996 and 997 Porsche 911. These new kits combine a little lift with sports-car adjustability and responsiveness. The kit for a 996 911 lists at $5,429; more than standard KW V3 coilovers but a heck of a lot cheaper than a 911 Dakar (which is like a quarter-million bucks, if you can even find one). The German brand has offered a setup like this on a made-to-order basis for air-cooled 911s for years, and other outfits have done some complete 996 conversions. But this application for the 996 is going to be a lot more accessible. Here’s a pretty neat animation giving you a guts-side perspective: The main value propositions of the KW V3 Safari Style setup here are independently adjustable low-speed compression and low-speed rebound damping. This lets you fine-tune the suspension so you get off-road capability without sacrificing the on-road driving dynamics and comfort that KW is known for. It also utilizes composite spring seats and dirt-resistant trapezoidal threads to handle the elements. The lift is modest—up to 30 millimeters (about 1.2 inches)—but that’s enough to get you a meaningful increase in suspension travel and room for slightly upsized tires. It’s not meant for racing or rock crawling. More like dirt-road blasting and potholes. KW Suspensions Here’s the brochure pitch: “When driving on gravel tracks or away from paved roads, significantly higher damper shaft velocities occur. The high-speed valves open and, due to the increased oil flow volume, damping force rises more gradually than in the low-speed range, even at higher piston speeds. As a result, even these harsh impacts are effectively absorbed. The preset low-speed compression and rebound damping settings can be fine-tuned further with twelve clicks of compression adjustment and sixteen clicks of rebound adjustment. With the adjustable compression and rebound forces in the low-speed range, it’s possible to further fine-tune handling, pitch, and roll body motions in cornering.” The high-level stuff is the same for the Cayenne and Touareg applications. But those don’t seem quite as exciting as the idea of an inexpensive (relatively) safari 911. Here’s a quick detail download on specs and fitments: New KW V3 Safari Style Suspension Fitments Porsche 996 911 Carrera 4 and Carrera 4S Porsche 997 911 Carrera 2, Carrera 2S, Carrera 4, and Carrera 4S Depending on the adjustment range selected, the 911 can be raised by 20 to 30 millimeters at both axles. Porsche Cayenne (9PA) VW Touareg (7L) Ground clearance can be increased from 0 to 30 millimeters at the front axle and from 5 to 30 millimeters at the rear axle. The lift doesn’t look particularly dramatic, but KW knows what it’s doing. Here are some images of the kit on a few different vehicles. KW Safari Suspension on a 996 KW Safari Suspension on a 997 KW Safari Suspension on a Cayenne KW Safari Suspension Glamor Shots a a KW also teased that it’s going to keep expanding its off-roady offerings with a kit for the VW Golf and other cars in the future.
