Besides our well-known KW V3 coilover suspension for the current Honda Civic Type R (FL5), a new generation of a two-way adjustable KW V3 Clubsport coilover suspension is now available. Why did we do that? Because the Honda Civic Type R means much more to many than just a car.

They are iconic, whether it’s the Honda Civic Type-R, Honda Integra Type-R, Honda NSX, or Honda S2000. They have been for years. Therefore, we offer various KW coilover suspensions with parts certification for specific popular Honda models, from our KW Street Performance applications like KW V1, KW V3, or KW V5 to the different KW Track Performance suspensions like the KW Clubsport series, all within our product range.

If you don’t see a coilover suspension kit for your rare Honda Civic in our online shop, such as the Honda Civic Shuttle (EE2) pictured above, don’t worry! Our special construction department can develop and build a custom coilover suspension kit to meet your needs.

Of course, this comes at a price due to the tooling costs and the fact that each piece is custom-made. Depending on the damping technology and construction variant, you can expect to pay around 3000 euros (net) or more. But for that price, we can make the impossible possible and offer a convincing coilover suspension kit for even rare automobiles or vehicles far from the mainstream.

But let’s get back to the new Honda Civic Type R. It’s no underdog and one of the most popular compact models in Western Europe and beyond. As the Honda Civic Type R, Hyundai i30 N, Renault Mégane R.S., and VW Golf GTI prove, sporty compact cars don’t need rear-wheel or all-wheel drive to be fun and exciting.

What compact sports cars need for track days are suspensions that are optimized for semi-slick tires and fast lap times. That’s where KW comes in. We offer “Nordschleife-approved” coilover suspensions with TÜV parts certificate, so you can be sure your car will handle like a dream on the racetrack.

Whether you’re driving a Renault Mégane R.S. or a Honda Civic Type R, our KW Clubsport coilovers can help you take your car’s performance to the next level. These coilovers are based on the same technology we use in our GT3, GT4, and endurance racing programs, so you can be sure they’re up to the task.

As modern cars become faster and heavier, the forces that occur on racetracks are also increasing. This is especially true for the new Honda Civic Type R (FL5), which generates extreme lateral guiding forces on the wheel-guiding MacPherson front axle suspension struts during fast cornering on Grand Prix circuits and the Nordschleife.

For this reason, we are now also using a further developed KW V3 Clubsport coilover suspension on the FL5, the new Civic Type R. This means that the MacPherson front axle suspension struts are upside down and are equipped with KW Single Tube racing dampers in a plain bearing cartridge (kind of inverted monotube).

The chrome under the black dust cover is not the piston rod. It is part of the plain-bearing cartridge that houses the KW damper.

The upper picture shows why this type of construction is called “upside-down struts.” The purple adjustment wheel on the bottom of the strut is used to adjust the low-speed rebound damping, not the low-speed compression damping, as with other KW V3 Clubsport or KW V3 coilover suspensions. The low-speed compression damping valve in the expansion tank, connected by the stainless steel flex hose, is adjusted independently of the rebound damping.

The KW V3 Clubsport coilover suspension uses our proven multi-valve technology for the pressure and rebound valves. This allows you to fine-tune the low-speed compression and rebound damping to your preferences. The high-speed valves are not adjustable, but our chassis development team has optimized them for best performance.

The multi-valve technology in our V3 suspensions (which applies to the KW V3 and the V3 Leveling suspension, which is unavailable for the Type R, in addition to the Clubsport version) has a significant advantage. When driving over bumps or expansion joints, even with a tightly adjusted setup, the high-speed valves open to a certain extent due to the resulting high vertical accelerations. This allows the suspension to damp harmoniously, even over rough roads.

Suspension Adjustment Made Easy

Our KW coilover suspensions come with pre-adjusted damper settings that our engineers have developed through extensive testing on various roads and racetracks. This means you can get excellent performance right out of the box without worrying about adjusting the settings yourself.

These settings are optimal for experiencing a completely new driving experience. We also recommend waiting until you have driven at least 3000 kilometers in everyday use before making any changes to the pre-adjusted setup.

Adjusting the suspension setup can be easy if you know what you’re doing. It’s best to only change one parameter at a time, such as the rebound stage on the front axle, by a maximum of two clicks and then test drive the car again. This allows you to fine-tune your setup. As a general rule, the rebound stage controls the relaxation of the spring, and the compression stage influences how easily it compresses.

Okay, a bit confused. Let me try it with this quick guide! Here’s a quick guide! Want sharper steering? Stiffen the front compression setting. Are you craving a smoother ride? Opt for a softer setup for a more forgiving feel. For improved stability during direction changes, stiffen the rear compression setting. However, lowering the rear compression setting allows the rear end to steer more.

Here are a few more tips that you can also find in the installation instructions for our KW coilover suspension kits. A too-stiff compression setting reduces tire grip and makes the car feel harsher. Conversely, a low rebound setting improves low-speed comfort but sacrifices handling precision. High rebound forces at the front axle enhance handling, but grip may suffer. Never set one axle very stiff while leaving the other very soft, leading to unpredictable reactions during load changes.

The front axle struts of the KW V3 Clubsport coilover suspension for the Honda Civic Type R (FL5) are manufactured in an upside-down design. On the other hand, the rear axle dampers have the same design as the KW V3 coilover suspension for the Honda Civic Type R (FL5).

What are the differences between the KW V3 Clubsport and the well-known KW V3 coilover suspension kit for the Honda Civic Type R?

The KW V3 coilover suspension does not use upside-down MacPherson front axle struts or unibal bearings. These are just a few differences between the KW V3 and the KW V3 Clubsport coilover suspension kits.

Therefore, the KW V3 coilover suspension is less “aggressive” in all parameters compared to the KW V3 Clubsport coilover suspension. While maximum performance for high cornering speeds is always the focus of the KW Clubsport coilovers, we prioritize sporty driving comfort with the KW V3 coilovers.

A KW V3 coilover suspension kit is always designed to be as sporty as necessary and as comfortable as possible because “rock-hard go-kart feeling” has as much to do with driving dynamics as American football has with soccer. As is so often the case, the difference lies in the details.

The KW V3 and KW V3 Clubsport coilovers go beyond differing simply in their linear main and helper spring rates. The discrepancies extend to the spring rates within the damper valves, the diameters of the piston rods, and various other parameters.

The KW V3 and KW V3 Clubsport coilovers have the same adjustable lowering range in the Honda Civic Type R (10 – 30 millimeters on both axles) but drive very differently.

Let’s explain it this way: The KW V3 coilover suspension is like a Porsche 911, while the KW V3 Clubsport coilover suspension is like a Porsche 911 GT2 RS. Some competitor products have the exact handling and driving dynamics as a Bobby Car comparison.

If you need to decide whether to get a KW V3 or KW V3 Clubsport coilover suspension, the answer depends on how often you track your Honda Civic Type R on a racetrack.

If you track your car more than four times a year and are serious about improving your lap times, the KW Clubsport coilover suspension is the way to go. However, this is only recommended if your Civic’s weight is close to stock.

If you’re building an uncompromising track car, you’ll need a KW Racing (KW Competition motorsport suspension). KW offers various motorsport suspensions, all custom-made for the specific racing car (wheel loads, spring travel, motorsport type, etc.).

For more information about our Honda Civic Type R coilover suspension kits, please get in touch with us directly or visit our website. Click on the screenshot above.