KW automotive marked the 30th anniversary of its coilover suspension systems at the Essen Motor Show 2025, returning to the same venue where it first introduced a road-legal, continuously height-adjustable coilover suspension in 1995. At the time, the concept was new to the aftermarket: a fully adjustable suspension system supplied with a German parts certificate, making it legal for road use while offering meaningful chassis tuning.
What began with nine applications for four vehicles has since grown into a catalog of nearly 30,000 aftermarket suspension applications covering more than 2,500 vehicles. Today, KW automotive operates globally, employing more than 900 people across 13 locations, while remaining owner-managed and headquartered in Fichtenberg, Germany.
SOLVING A PROBLEM THE MARKET HAD IGNORED
The roots of KW lie in dissatisfaction. Founder Klaus Wohlfarth launched KW Tuning in 1992 as a retailer for performance parts, but quickly became frustrated by suspension products that failed to deliver their promised performance. Working with a small group of collaborators, he began developing height-adjustable suspensions in-house, building on earlier wedge spring and wedge suspension kits already sold under the KW name.
After extensive testing and certification, the first KW coilover suspension debuted publicly at Essen in 1995. The response was immediate enough that KW shifted its focus entirely toward suspension development. By 1998, the company evolved into KW automotive, setting the foundation for what would become one of the most influential suspension manufacturers in the industry.
TECHNICAL MILESTONES THAT REDEFINED COILOVERS
KW’s growth has been driven by continuous technical development rather than incremental styling updates. Among its key innovations were stainless steel damper housings, height-adjustable rear spring perches, composite spring seats, and independently adjustable compression and rebound damping.
A defining moment came in 2001 with the launch of the KW V3 coilover. Featuring separately adjustable low-speed rebound and compression stages via a two-stage valve design, it demonstrated that meaningful adjustability and everyday ride comfort were no longer mutually exclusive. This concept would go on to define modern road-focused coilovers.
From there, KW expanded into increasingly complex systems, including five- and six-way adjustable dampers, semi-active coilovers, hydraulic lift systems, and app-controlled suspension technologies. In 2017, the company introduced Solid Piston damper technology—derived from motorsport—which enabled significantly higher and more consistent damping forces by separating the working piston from the valve carrier.
LONGSTANDING DEEVELOPMENT PARTNER TO AUDI & AUDI SPORT
Alongside its aftermarket success, KW automotive has become a trusted development partner for Audi and Audi Sport GmbH. KW technology underpins several factory and Special-OE suspension systems, including the three-way adjustable V4 damper technology used in models such as the Audi RS 4 Avant edition 25 Years and the RS 6 Avant GT.
In these applications, adjustable coilovers replace air suspension in pursuit of reduced weight, a lower center of gravity, and greater driver involvement. The RS 6 Avant GT, for example, features manually adjustable high-speed and low-speed compression and rebound damping, combined with stiffer anti-roll bars front and rear, developed in cooperation between Audi and KW.
Beyond RS special models, KW was also a partner in Audi Sport Performance Parts programs for the final generations of the TT RS and R8, supplying suspension solutions developed to meet Audi Sport’s factory standards. These systems were distributed directly through Audi, underscoring KW’s role as a behind-the-scenes OE development partner rather than a traditional aftermarket supplier.
AUDI SPORT CUSTOMER RACING & MOTORSPORT DNA
KW’s relationship with Audi extends deeply into motorsport. KW Racing dampers have long been homologated for Audi Sport customer racing platforms, forming part of the suspension hardware used in GT3 and GT4 competition. This motorsport involvement feeds directly back into KW’s road-car and Special-OE suspension development, particularly in valve design, thermal stability, and durability under sustained load.
Across motorsport more broadly, KW supplies dampers for a wide range of GT and prototype racing programs, including platforms from Porsche, BMW, Aston Martin, Lamborghini, and Toyota. This dual-track approach—road and race—has become central to the company’s technical identity.
ENGINEERING, STIMULATION & VERTICAL INTEGRATION
KW automotive’s development process begins well before physical prototypes are built. Suspension concepts are first modeled virtually, with damper forces simulated prior to manufacturing. For nearly two decades, KW has operated a vertical dynamics test rig for suspension development—an uncommon resource within the independent aftermarket sector.
The company is also unique in developing and manufacturing adaptive coilover systems entirely in-house, including control units, sensors, and software algorithms for real-time damper adjustment. More than 80 engineers, technicians, and mechanics work within KW’s development and motorsport departments alone.
BUILT-TO-ORDER MANUFACTURING IN FICHTENBERG
Every KW suspension is manufactured to order at the company’s Fichtenberg headquarters. With a vertical integration rate approaching 95 percent, nearly all components—from damper housings to final assembly—are produced in-house. Depending on specification, a single suspension can require more than 85 production steps.
This flexibility allows KW to manufacture batch sizes of one, whether for aftermarket customers, OEM partners, or motorsport teams. Around 500 individual suspensions leave the Fichtenberg facility each day, the vast majority destined for completely different vehicle applications.
THIRTY YEARS IN, STILL DEFINING THE SEGMENT
Three decades after its first appearance at Essen, KW coilovers remain central to the company’s identity. What began as a solution to a market shortcoming has evolved into a global suspension operation spanning aftermarket, OEM development, and top-level motorsport—including a deep and ongoing partnership with Audi and Audi Sport. For KW, coilovers were never just an entry point—they became the foundation.
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