The moment you start looking for a KW suspension for your car, the question turns up: V1, V2, V3 or V4? And, if the budget stretches, why not V5?

At first glance the difference looks simple: the higher the number, the more "performance" the suspension has. In practice it is more interesting than that.

KW V1: the simplest choice, and not a basic one

KW V1 is the suspension for anyone who wants to improve how the car sits and how it behaves without getting into complicated adjustment.

The dampers have a fixed setup, developed for each application. In other words, KW does the setting up for you, and all you choose is the ride height, within the range the suspension allows.

And that is one of the strengths of the V1: there is nothing you can set wrong.

KW aims at a compromise between everyday comfort and sporting behaviour, and the dampers are calibrated per car model. Even with the car lowered, KW puts weight on keeping comfort at a reasonable level.

Who is KW V1 for?

It is the right choice if:

• you use the car mainly on the road;
• you want height adjustment;
• you want the car to behave in a more sporting way;
• you want to fit the suspension knowing the setup is already sorted.

Put simply: V1 is the set it and forget it option.

And no, being the first in the range does not make it a weak suspension.

KW V2: when you want a little more

On top of height adjustment, V2 lets you set the rebound of the damper, that is how fast the damper comes back after it has compressed.

Why does that matter?

Because not all roads and not all driving styles are the same.

You might want the car a little softer on bad roads, or the other way round, a firmer answer when you drive hard.

The rebound setting decides how the wheel and the body react once the suspension has been compressed.

V2 is for you if...

...you want more control over how the car behaves than V1 gives, without making things complicated.

It is a very good choice for a sporting daily, especially if you enjoy playing with the setup.

KW V3: this is where it gets serious

If V2 gives you a first level of adjustment, KW V3 takes a real step forward.

V3 lets you set compression and rebound separately. The usual name for this is a 2 way adjustable suspension.

And this is where the real difference shows up between a suspension that is adjustable and one that is simply stiffer.

Because a good suspension is not just one that is as rigid as possible.

You may need more body control in certain situations while still wanting the car to stay comfortable on normal roads.

That is one of the central ideas behind the KW V3: you can move the balance between comfort and sporting behaviour depending on what you are doing with the car.

V3 for the road or for the track?

For both.

There are V3 versions for everyday use, and there are derivatives such as V3 Clubsport and V3 Racing, developed for more performance oriented use.

If you have a weekend car, drive it hard on the road and do a few trackdays a year, V3 is the kind of suspension that fits you.

KW V3. Stainless steel bodies and the two independent adjustments, rebound and compression.

KW V4: when the setup really matters

With KW V4 we are already in territory where setting the suspension becomes far more precise.

V4 gives you three adjustments:

• low-speed compression;
• high-speed compression;
• low-speed rebound.

In practice you can control how the damper behaves in different situations, separately.

Why would you need that?

Because low speed and high speed, on a damper, do not mean the speed of the car.

They refer to how fast the damper itself is moving.

A slow movement happens when the car leans under braking, under acceleration or in a corner. A bump, a kerb, or a fast load change on track produces a completely different kind of damper movement. (high speed)

V4 lets you treat those cases separately.

KW also offers base setups aimed at comfort and at performance, which can be a starting point for your own adjustment.

Who is V4 for?

For anyone who already knows why they want to adjust the suspension.

If you only drive on the road and you are not going to experiment with the setup, you probably do not need a V4.

If the car is built for performance, that changes.

KW V4.

KW V5: the next level

KW V5 goes further still.

Instead of the classic construction, KW uses Solid Piston technology, which gives more freedom in designing the damper. V5 allows low-speed and high-speed compression to be set independently, and low-speed and high-speed rebound as well.

In other words, a 4 way adjustable damper.

This is a solution for people who do not just want a fast suspension, but want to build a very precise setup around the car, the tyres, the circuit and their own driving.

The V5 range uses technology tested and developed on GT3 class cars.

In three lines

Choose the suspension by where and how you use the car. The more expensive version will not always bring you anything extra

The Let's Race team is here to help you pick the right suspension.

Where to look next

• All the KW kits at Let's Race, filterable by car and generation
• BC Racing: which series to pick and which spring rate, where the discussion moves on to spring rates
• Lowering springs