We experience time and again at car shows and class car fairs such as Klassikwelt Bodensee, Retro Classics Stuttgart, and Technoclassica how trade fair visitors talk to our sales colleagues at our stand and always ask the same questions.
Tempting as a KW V3 Classic coilover suspension might be, wouldn’t it come at the cost of the classic ride comfort that defines your beloved Mercedes? Furthermore, could it risk transforming it into a show car, distancing it from its classic heritage?
Rest assured, classic Mercedes enthusiasts! The feedback from buyers of our KW Classic suspension systems has been overwhelmingly positive, from BMW and Porsche fans and fellow admirers of fine Mercedes-Benz automobiles. This makes us, as a Swabian suspension manufacturer, immensely proud.
Although we modernized the driving dynamics of an automotive icon from Mercedes-Benz years ago at the customer’s request, we are only at the beginning of our KW Classic program for classic cars adorned with the iconic star in the grille.
While our KW Classic program has thrived in the world of eighties and nineties Mercedes, get ready for an exciting shift – we’re bringing the KW magic to other beloved vintage cars!
We’re pleased to announce two new suspension solutions for the iconic SL models (280 SL, 350 SL, 380 SL, 420 SL, 450 SL, 500 SL, 580 SL) built in Sindelfingen between 1971 and 1989: the KW V3 Classic damper set and the KW V3 Classic coilover suspension kit.
Back in the day, the beloved Mercedes-Benz “two-door S-Class” was a real hit, with over 300,000 roadsters and coupés gracing the world’s roads during its nearly two-decade production run. Luckily, despite their different wheelbases, both the SL (R107) and SLC (C107) share the same suspension, meaning the KW V3 Classic dampers and KW V3 Classic coilover kit fit perfectly in all Mercedes-Benz 280 SLC, 350 SLC, 380 SLC, 450 SLC, 450 SLC 5.0, and 500 SLC models. The good news continues because these upgrades fit seamlessly and significantly improve handling for a delightful driving experience.
How comfortable are the rolling and residual ride?
Anyone who has driven one of our KW V3 coilover kits with their independently adjustable compression and rebound dampers will never want to drive anything else in a car. It doesn’t matter if the KW kit is installed in a new electric car or an automotive classic like a Mercedes-Benz 380 SL.
Those who wish to form their own opinion can read in the German car magazine “auto, motor und sport” about why an adjustable KW V3 coilover kit (KW Variant 3) with compression and rebound damping can propel even young classics with relatively modest engine power into the present day in terms of driving dynamics. The KW V3 coilover kit also excels on the comfort test track – even with maximum lowering.
Here’s how it works: Our KW V3 Classic damper kit and KW V3 Classic coilover kit use basically the same multi-valve technology in the dampers as our KW V3 Leveling, KW V3 Clubsport, and popular KW V3 coilover kits.
This means that the compression and rebound valves are each basically made up of two valves: a so-called high-speed valve and a low-speed valve.
The terms “high speed” and “low speed” do not refer to the speed of the Mercedes-Benz SL but rather to the working speed of the damper piston rod, as seen by the “driving dynamics” engineers.
The suspension operates within the low-speed range when the SL is driven on a level road, whether navigating a corner or traversing a long bump. Conversely, when driving on a side road with numerous bumps or asphalt patched with tar, these irregularities generate high vertical accelerations—significantly faster impulses—wherein the damping operates within the high-speed range. To ensure a quiet body structure and comfortable ride, the high-speed valves, pre-tensioned during production, open to allow a higher volume flow of oil, facilitating harmonious wheel spring action.
While the low-speed valves for the compression and rebound stages can be further adjusted to individual driving preferences after the installation of the KW V3 Classic dampers or the KW V3 Classic coilover suspension, this is not possible for high-speed valves.
Not familiar with Compression and Rebound? I try to explain
The rebound stage is primarily responsible for how the SL or SLC is connected to the road and how quickly the springs return to their original position after compression.
Closing the rebound stage makes the handling more direct while opening the rebound valves leads to more forgiving handling and also improves ride comfort. 16-click steps are available to adjust the low-speed rebound stage.
The compression stage, on the other hand, influences the compression of the spring and thus has a direct impact on the body roll movements when steering and cornering. In addition, the compression stage supports the turn-in behavior of the Mercedes. The low-speed compression stage can be adjusted with twelve clicks on the KW V3 Classic dampers and the KW V3 Classic coilover suspension kit.
From the factory, both the KW V3 damper kit and coilover suspension come pre-tuned to strike the perfect balance between responsive handling and surprising comfort. This transforms the Mercedes-Benz Coupé (C107) and Roadster (R107), making them significantly more dynamic and comfortable than their original counterparts. Notably, the damper kit offers a touch more comfort compared to the coilover suspension.
Unlike many cars of their era, the Mercedes-Benz SL and SLC (R107 and C107) boasted a sophisticated suspension design. Similar to the Mercedes-Benz /8 (Slash-Eight, Stroke-Eight, W114, and W115), they featured a front axle with double wishbones. For the rear axle, depending on the engine, they employed either a swing axle with added diagonal support for torque and braking control (anti-squat device) or just a diagonal swing axle configuration.
The KW V3 Classic dampers for the Mercedes-Benz SL (R107/C107) have the same dimensions as the original parts. The KW V3 Classic damper kit is particularly recommended for Mercedes-Benz enthusiasts who place great value on the original ride height during their contemporary restoration.
The stainless steel dampers are installed in conjunction with the original springs. When switching to the KW V3 Classic dampers, we always recommend replacing all worn parts, such as the original springs, with new spare parts.
We recommend the KW V3 Classic coilover suspension for Mercedes fans who want to lower their coupe or roadster even further while placing great importance on harmonious ride comfort. With the KW V3 Classic coilover suspension, the damper housings are shorter than the stock components.
The entire damper design matches the spring rates of the KW suspension springs. For this reason, the KW V3 Classic coilover suspension is also a nuance stiffer and sportier than the KW V3 Classic damper set, which uses the original standard spring rates and has more suspension travel. The supplied spring plates allow for a continuous lowering of 25 to 45 millimeters on both axles when switching to the coilover suspension kit.
If you are currently seeking a KW V3 Classic damper set or the KW V3 Classic coilover suspension for your Mercedes-Benz SL (R107) or Mercedes-Benz SLC (C107), you can order it directly from us or from our KW specialist dealers. By the way, if you have your KW V3 Classic damper set or KW V3 Classic coilover suspension installed by a certified specialist dealer, you can apply for a three-year extended warranty through them. More information can be found on the KW homepage.