100% stance for the VW Golf 8 at an affordable price: ap coilover suspension offers the best price-performance ratio in its quality and price class

The Golf 8 continues to be in high demand on the used car market. Here's a model with an ap coilover suspension.
The ap coilover suspension with parts approval is also available for the VW Golf 8

Featuring stylish wheels and a cool stance, the VW Golf 8 exudes an impressive aesthetic. As the count of Golf 8 lease returns, which have been on the market since 2019, keeps rising, we are thrilled to announce the addition of a coilover suspension from our brand, ap Sportfahrwerke, to our product range.

All coilover suspension applications of the KW automotive Group are manufactured in Fichtenberg, in South-West Germany
Worldwide, the KW automotive Group employs over 1200 people

ap Sportfahrwerke made by KW, you say? Well, this has actually been the situation for quite some time now. In fact, ap Sportfahrwerke was acquired by the KW automotive Group in mid-2019, and since then, ap coilover suspensions have also been produced in Fichtenberg.

The ap coilover suspensions are not made from stainless steel but from untreated steel. The illustration shows the scope of delivery for the VW Golf 8
Scope of delivery of the ap coilover suspension for the VW Golf 8

The ap coilover suspension kits are appealing to those who seek a coilover suspension made in Germany and wish to have improved handling and stance without any sacrifice in terms of performance and quality.

The KW employees in Fichtenberg custom-produce the coilover suspension kits for the brands ap Sportfahrwerke, KW, and ST
Here you can see the strut assembly of an ap coilover suspension kit for a VW Golf 3

All those who opt for an ap coilover suspension kit for their VW Golf 8 will receive a custom-made suspension from the KW automotive Group.

KW automotive also manufactures ap coilover suspension kits for various Audi A4 models
Here, you can see the front axle strut of an ap coilover suspension kit for the Audi A4

Is there a difference between the ap coilover suspension kit and the KW V1 or ST X coilover suspension kit?

The struts of KW coilover suspension kits are always constructed from KW stainless steel "inox-line."
KW V3 (Variant 3) coilover suspension for the VW Golf 3 – here, the rear axle still has struts due to its axle geometry design of the old Volkswagen Golf

Of course, there is a difference between the KW coilover kits and ap coilover kits, and this is not just “marketing talk.” The most obvious difference is that at KW, we manufacture the struts from stainless steel, whereas ST suspensions and ap Sportfahrwerke do not.

In the case of the Golf 3, all components (struts) are zinc-plated for additional corrosion protection
Here, we have an ap coilover suspension kit for the VW Golf 3 pictured. In the center are the two MacPherson front axle struts flanked by the rear dampers. For the Golf 3, we also use linear helper springs and main springs

However, when it comes to the struts, ap Sportfahrwerke chooses galvanized untreated steel (aka black steel) alloys. In instances where, as seen in vehicles like the VW Golf 8, multi-link rear axles are used without struts due to design limitations, the steel housing of the rear damper is also coated with black powder.

KW V1 (Variant 1) for VW Golf Mk 8

Quality is certainly not compromised in any way, as we use the same black steel alloys (untreated steel) in our brand ST suspensions and in selected KW coilover suspension kits as in ap Sportfahrwerke.

In Fichtenberg, the suspension springs are also powder-coated
The gray-primed suspension springs receive their distinctive ap blue color directly here in Fichtenberg

One more distinction between the ap coilover suspension kit for the VW Golf 8 and a KW V1 coilover suspension kit lies in the way we manufacture the shock absorber internals.

The dampers for KW coilover suspensions are manufactured in Fichtenberg, while for ap, the damper cartridges come from our facility in Spain.
When we assemble the damper internals at our Fichtenberg facility and insert KW compression valves into the KW damper inner tube, we internally refer to this process as a “wet build”

In other words, at KW, we manufacture the damper valves for compression and rebound, process the piston rod blanks, and the cylinder inner tubes on a just-in-time basis at our KW headquarters in Fichtenberg.

Inserting the damper cartridge into the ap strut.
Inserting the damper cartridge into the strut of the ap suspension directly at our facility in Fichtenberg

For the ap and ST X coilover suspension kits, similar to the KW V1 coilover suspension kits, no adjustable compression and rebound valves are used. However, the difference is that for ap and ST X, our colleagues from Spain supply the damper cartridges.

This is how we manufacture the damper cartridges at KW Damping Technologies, S.A. in Abdiano, at the former AL-KO plant. Some time ago, as part of the KW automotive Group, we acquired the damping division of AL-KO, primarily for the industrial production of suspension components for both light and heavy commercial vehicles. For instance, all London taxis are equipped with our dampers as they traverse the city.

After inserting the damper cartridge into the ap strut and securing the strut, we attach the ventilation disc and the elastomer spring (also known as a bump stop) along with the dust cap onto the strut.
After inserting the damper cartridge into the ap strut and securing the strut, we attach the venting disc and the elastomer spring (also known as a bump stop) along with the dust cap onto the strut

The ap coilover suspension kit differs slightly from the ST X in terms of damper design and the use of aluminum spring perches.

The ap coilover suspension for the Golf 8 is available for all front-wheel drive models, including GTE, GTI, and GTI Clubsport

For the VW Golf 8 with front-wheel drive, there is the ap coilover suspension with a parts approval available
The ap coilover suspension is available for all VW Golf 8 models with front-wheel drive; for the VW Golf 8 Variant and the 4Motion models, development is planned

For those seeking the best compromise between budget, lowering, and ride comfort when it comes to suspension, the ap coilover suspension kit is a no-brainer. For many, the suspension is a recommended purchase for the Golf 8, as it not only gives the car a nice drop but also enhances the driving experience.

The ap coilover suspension is not yet available for the VW Golf 8 Variant and the all-wheel-drive models
The VW Golf 8 can be lowered by 35 to 60 millimeters on both the front and rear axles

The parts approval for the ap coilover suspension includes a continuous adjustable lowering range of 35 to 60 millimeters for both the front and rear axles. If you’re driving with this configuration and have the coilover suspension correctly registered, you won’t run into any encounters with the friendly neighborhood police officer.

No worries, with KW Engineering, a VW Golf 8 also handles exceptionally well with an ap coilover suspension kit

Featuring a chic wheel and tire setup that maintains a sufficient tire profile, even with a maximum lowering of 60 millimeters, the Golf 8 offers an exceptionally responsive ride. The ap coilover suspension guarantees the Golf’s stability, even when encountering minor road imperfections.

Thanks to the damper design combined with progressive spring rates, the ap coilover suspension kit has plenty of residual ride comfort reserves.
The MacPherson strut of the ap coilover suspension is yellow zinc-plated

For those who may be concerned that an ap coilover suspension kit is too firm, you can rest assured. While it may not be as comfortable as, for example, a KW V3 coilover suspension kit, which is due to the KW damper valves, the significant advantage is that the ap coilover suspension kit still maintains a substantial amount of ride comfort reserves thanks to its damper design and progressive spring rates.

Many of our ap customers mention in forums and on social media that our ap coilover suspension kit features better ride comfort than a VW Golf 8 GTI with a set of lowering springs.

Dial your VW Golf 8 or any other car in our webshop

For further information, please visit www.ap-sportsuspension.com

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