Mercedes-Benz A-Class to Become Sporty and Attractive Vehicle

Whether as a notchback sedan (V177) or as a five-door compact sedan (W177), the current Mercedes-Benz A-Class has moved away from its old Biedermeier image and has become a sporty and attractive vehicle. For all models of the notchback sedan, from the Mercedes-AMG A 35 4MATIC to the A 250 e plug-in hybrid and A180, the suspension manufacturer, KW automotive, has coil-overs with stainless steel struts in its product range. It makes no difference whether it is a V177 sedan with front-wheel or four-wheel drive.

While the KW Clubsport Coilover is also available for the sporty Mercedes-AMG A35 4MATIC sedan in addition to the KW Variant 3 Coilover, the KW Variant 1 Coilover is offered for all other engine types as well. The suspension kits available with a technical parts certificate allow a maximum lowering of 10 to 30 millimetres for the AMG A35 4MATIC sedan or 45 to 75 millimetres for the A 250 e plug-in hybrid, and 30 to 50 millimetres for the A180. 

KW coil-overs are available for numerous vehicles and offer much more than maximum lowering within the scope of the technical parts certificate. The Swabian suspension manufacturer, KW automotive, developed all suspensions, improving vehicle performance and ride comfort. Thus, the company produces height-adjustable sports suspensions for more and more accessory programs of various car manufacturers. Limited unique models, sports cars and race cars such as Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Black Series, Mercedes-AMG GT-R Pro or the Mercedes-AMG GT4 touring car are already equipped ex-works with adjustable KW damper technology.

Since its market launch, the KW Variant 3 Coilover, which is available for numerous vehicles, has become the best-selling Coilover of the suspension manufacturer. The possibility of adjusting the suspension damper characteristics to a sportier or more comfortable ride and freely choosing tasteless lowering makes it very popular. Another benefit is KW automotive’s tuning philosophy of always setting up a suspension for the road as tight as necessary and as comfortable as possible. If one drives a Mercedes-Benz A-Class (V177) lowered with a KW Variant 3 Coilover on the street in poor condition, the KW Coilover absorbs these shocks precisely and quickly.

“It is often surprising for many people that a Coilover can increase the driving comfort despite the lowering”, according to Brand Manager Jonas Ehrmann. “Many people believe that an excellent suspension is sportier. However, this is not the case. The principal task is to ensure that the tires are permanently in contact with the road. When a suspension is too tight, the tires lose their grip. No grip, no traction, no safety and no moving forward.” In Variant 3, the rebound forces can be tuned with 16 precise clicks for more comfortable or, if desired, firmer handling. The compression is also adjustable in Variant 3. “The compression job is mainly to support the body structure and control how the spring and damper compress,” explains Jonas Ehrmann.

Depending on the setting, the compression can influence the steering behaviour and the car rolls. Whereas the low-speed compression (piston rod velocity) of the KW Variant 3 can be individually adjusted with clicks, the high-speed compression valves, which are jointly responsible for the ride comfort, are preconfigured and cannot be further modified. At high vertical accelerations, which occur when driving over bumps or transverse joints, the high-speed compression valves open, and the tires thus compress. “Simply, the wheels do not bounce any longer on nodes, and the tires, therefore, maintain constant contact with the road. The use of progressive suspension springs supports the entire process.

Everyone who opts for a KW Coilover always receives a vehicle-specific complete solution which we have perfected in various road tests for everyday use.” In addition to the KW Variant 3, the KW Variant 1 and the KW Clubsport coil-overs are also available, depending on the engine version of the Mercedes-Benz A-Class notchback sedan. 

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