KW Expands Range Of Innovative Height Adjustable Spring (HAS) Kits To Include Audi RS3 8V Saloon & Sportback Quattro
Leave it to a company like KW to set about re-engineering something as fundamental as automotive suspension, with the firm’s latest innovation being its rapidly expanding range of Height Adjustable Spring (HAS) Kits, one which has just had a new fitment option added to it. The kit in question has been developed for the 8V generation Audi RS3, and the firm has even gone to the trouble of designing and engineering two distinct versions – one for those cars with electronic (magnetic) dampers, one for those without. The kit itself has been designed to be fully inclusive, which in practice means it can be fitted to both RS3 sportbacks and saloons.
The latest version of Audi’s premier hot hatch, the 8V RS3, remains one of the most capable performance cars on sale today. Immense, near 400bhp levels of performance are paired with classic, sure-footed Quattro handling, all wrapped up in a typically refined and understated body. It’s a compelling mix and one that’s enabled the RS3 to find countless thousands of homes, but there’s always room for improvement – hence the expansion of KW’s HAS range to accommodate it.
For far, far too long aftermarket suspension spring kits have remained unchanged in terms of design and function. While undoubtedly a popular product amongst those that value both looks and enhanced handling performance, the nature of the typical lowering spring kit forces potential buyers to select their ride height before even fitting it, opening the way for indecision and, in the worst case scenario, regret. The fact that lowering springs are of a fixed height gives no room for movement or indeed error, and the upshot is that once the kit is installed, that’s it – you’re stuck with that ride height for the foreseeable future.
The above serves to underline just how significant a departure from conventional spring wisdom KW’s HAS kits actually are. Outwardly similar to regular lowering springs, KW’s offering sports an innovatively designed threaded spring perch, a feature which allows for individual height adjustment while the springs themselves are in situ. Clever KW engineering ensures that physically toggling the springs (and therefore the car in question’s ride height) is both simple and physically undemanding, which in turn means that owners have a massive degree of control over how their car looks and handles. The RS3 kit it especially adaptable, allowing for adjustments of between 15 and 25mm on the front axle and 5 and 20mm on the rear.
As you would expect of a KW product, all units within the HAS line have been developed specifically for the car which bears their name, which in turn ensures they work with the OEM dampers and other essential suspension and chassis parts. Constructed from chrome-silicone steel, the KW RS3 HAS kit has been devised to complement the model’s standard spring and damping rates, which means it doesn’t merely improve the overall aesthetic appeal of the 8V generation car, it also sharpens handling.
KW has taken the time to develop 2 distinct variants of HAS kit, one for those RS3s fitted with electronic dampers, one for those without. Not only does this further underscore the company’s dedication to producing world class suspension products, it means that all RS3 owners can benefit from the HAS kit’s myriad abilities, safe in the knowledgeable that they won’t be greeted by a battery of unsightly dash warning lights once they’ve fitted it.
A truly groundbreaking product and one which will no doubt have far reaching ramifications for the wider aftermarket suspension industry, KW’s Height Adjustable Spring kit for the Audi RS3 8V represents the ideal chassis upgrade for those owners seeking improved turn in, handling, plus a better overall appearance – and all without breaking the budget. It effectively gives owners almost total control over their car’s ride height, and means that they have freedom to make minute adjustments as and when they choose.
Audi RS3 without electronic damper control
Saloon / Sportback Quattro
Lowering FA: 15-25mm
Lowering RA: 5-20mm
Part number: 253100AK
RRP: £383.33 +VAT
Audi RS3 with electronic damper control
Saloon / Sportback Quattro
Lowering FA: 15-25 mm
Lowering RA: 5-20mm
Part number: 253100AL
RRP: £383.33 +VAT