Our VW ID. Buzz featured a prototype KW coilover suspension when showcased at the Essen Motor Show last December. We are excited to announce the availability of our KW V3 coilover suspension (formerly KW Variant 3) with a parts certificate for the electric bus.
Our VW ID. Buzz was a crowd-pleaser in Essen, thanks to its stylish chassis, eye-catching wrap, and chic wheels.
The VW ID. Buzz serves as our current demonstration vehicle for the new BBS Unlimited wheel system. We’ve equipped the rear-wheel drive Buzz with indigo blue CI-R wheels in 9.5 x 21 inches on the front axle and 10.5 x 21 inches on the rear axle. Michelin Pilot Sport tires in 235/45 R21 and 265/40 R21 sizes complete the setup.
The BBS Unlimited wheel system exclusively uses a 5×117.5 bolt circle for all five-hole applications. This focused approach allows for greater detail and emphasis on each BBS wheel design, as the need to accommodate various five-hole patterns, like 5×120, no longer influences the fundamental spoke design and cuts into the wheel’s aesthetic.
BBS Unlimited wheels are mounted to the specific five-hole pattern using vehicle-specific hub adapters ranging from 14 to 50 mm, along with centering rings. This offers the significant advantage of wider compatibility across various cars with five-hole center patterns. By producing the so-called BBS Unlimited ‘basic wheels’ in diameters of 19, 20, and 21 inches with rim widths from 8 to 12 inches at the BBS Schiltach plant, a high degree of universal fitment is achieved.
A wide range of customization options, including colorful wheels, rim protection rings, hub caps, and valve caps, completes the BBS Unlimited wheel program. Visit the BBS homepage (www.bbs.com) to learn more.
The KW V3 coilover suspension for the rear-wheel drive, short wheelbase VW ID. Buzz allows for a minimum front axle lowering of 25 millimeters, adjustable up to a maximum of 45 millimeters.
The rear axle of the rear-wheel drive vehicle houses the 150 kW (204 hp) electric motor. The KW V3 coilover suspension allows for a continuously adjustable lowering of 15 to 35 millimeters using the rear axle height adjustment.
Unlike typical sports suspensions and coilovers, KW’s V3 coilovers feature not only stainless steel struts and damper housings but also high-quality multi-valve damper technology.
Disassembled two-stage compression damping valve 
Disassembled two-stage rebound damping valve
The adjustable compression and rebound damping valves each comprise two components: a fixed high-speed valve and a manually adjustable low-speed valve.
When encountering sudden compression, such as driving over bumps, the preconfigured high-speed compression damping enables rapid wheel travel, preventing tire grip loss even if low-speed compression is set relatively firm. As a result, the heavy VW ID. Buzz remains effortlessly controllable during everyday driving and evasive maneuvers.
Regardless of the car model, the KW V3 coilover suspension has become our top seller in all markets due to its multi-valve technology and the ability to manually adjust low-speed compression and rebound damping.
To achieve even more direct handling with the KW V3 coilover suspension in the high-bodied VW ID. Buzz, the preset low-speed rebound setup can be increased by reducing the valve cross-section. Conversely, opening the valve further enhances rolling comfort. A total of 16 click settings are available for direct adjustment on the suspension.
The low-speed compression damping, adjustable in twelve steps, controls the rate at which the suspension compresses under low-frequency inputs. We recently invited a car magazine to test the KW V3 in the VW ID. Buzz.
Conclusion: “The hefty electric van, with its customizable KW V3 coilover suspension, handles like it’s on rails. The suspension system of this ‘hippie bus’ effortlessly absorbs even the harshest road imperfections, from local streets to highways, throughout our journey in the Fichtenberg hinterland. Despite riding on 21-inch wheels, the ride is so smooth you’d hardly notice.”
