For many years, the BMW enthusiasts of IND Distribution in North America have been customers and partners of KW. With its Bavarian project cars, our partner never fails to surprise the worldwide BMW community. One of their demo vehicles is now equipped with a KW V4 Clubsport coilover kit with a 40-millimeter inverted-monotube damper cartridge also known as inverted MacPherson shaft struts (upside-down design some still saying).
The KW V4 Clubsport coilover kit for the BMW M4 (G82) with rear-wheel drive is based on a KW motorsport coilover kit adaption and comes with a parts certificate (TUV approved). So this race-bred track day suspension is road legal even in Germany! To all those M-enthusiasts out there who are thinking about buying the KW V4 Clubsport with three-way adjustable dampers: Please remember that the coilover kit is designed for track day cars that regularly drive the Nordschleife or other racetracks with semi-slicks and a sportscar close to series production – this kit will shred your lap time.
Therefore, we mounted aluminum top mounts at the rear axle dampers. Here, we use top mounts very similar to the BMW M4 GT4 (2023) race suspension we offer our customer BMW Motorsport. Those who want to learn more about the differences between a KW V4 (Variant 4), a KW V4 Clubsport, or a KW three-way Clubsport coilover kit can check out our comparison between both coilover kits for the old BMW M4 (F82).
IND Distribution tested the first prototypes of our now-available KW coilover products for the BMW M4
Before we turn to our new KW V4 Clubsport coilover kit for the BMW M4 (G82), BMW M4 Competition (G82), BMW M4 CSL (G82), and BMW M3 (G80), we will dwell a little on the British racing green IND Distribution M4. What a beautiful homage to one of the most beautiful and rare BMW M3 models of its time: The BMW M3 GT (E36) Coupé – best BMW M3 of the nineties I still say all day long.
There wasn’t a road legal 90s M3 that was sportier than the M3 GT from factory
The BMW M3 GT in British racing green was built from December 1994 to the end of June 1995. Only 356 cars were manufactured by BMW M in those six epic months.
With optimized valve control the three-liter M in-line-six-cylinder with VANOS inlet has 295 hp
The M3 GT was equipped with a sportier program than the “normal” M3 of the E36 generation
The revised M straight-six-cylinder (S50B32) has a performance of 295 hp. At that time, the BMW M3 GT served as a homologation model for the FIA-GT series. And somehow it happened that IND Distribution fell in love with that kind of British racing green (BMW color code 312).
This is no wonder since our retail partner in the US always had a penchant for extraordinary colors for their project vehicles. Examples are the BMW M4 GTS Plus or the BMW M2 in GELBGRÜN color.
All IND Distribution BMW M have in common that they are equipped with BMW BBS wheels and a three-way adjustable KW Clubsport coilover kit.
On the current BMW M4 of IND Distribution, only BBS light-alloy wheels came into question. At the G82, 20-inch BBS LM rim stars were varnished in white gold before mounting.
Numerous components of the BMW Performance accessory catalog, Eventuri air-intakes, fall-line PU bushings, a complete Eisenmann stainless steel exhaust system and many more aspects were used in the project car of IND Distribution. According to them, everything is possible as long as the driving dynamics of the BMW don’t experience any losses.
The KW V4 Clubsport coilover kit is made of special motorsport alloy steel with a 40-millimeter inverted-monotube damper cartridge
For the BMW M4 track day community, we revised the entire KW V4 Clubsport coilover kit. New features are the wheel-guiding MacPherson struts which are manufactured in an inverted monotube with a 40-millimeter plain-bearing damper cartridge in vehicles with high lateral control forces such as the BMW M3 and the BMW M4 (G8x).
When there are high lateral control forces because of the construction of a car, we use inverted shaft struts
High-tech down to the last detail: The KW V4 Clubsport coilover kit
Due to fast chicane sequences, tighter curve radii, and much higher cornering speeds, extreme lateral control forces occur at the front axle of the BMW M4. Therefore, robust MacPherson struts made of special motorsport alloy steel with a plain-bearing KW damper cartridge come in handy.
At the front axle strut, the damper forces are generated at the piston rod and the lowspeed and highspeed compression valves of the external reservoir. Via the integrated adjuster wheels a fine-tuning of the setup for the respective track profile is possible. Here, 16 clicks in the rebound, 13 clicks in highspeed compression, and 14 clicks in lowspeed compression are available. With the position-independent reservoir, the gas pressure volume can be optimized.
One of the significant advantages is the KW single tube technology which works with less gas pressure. Even when steering aggressively the BMW M4 chassis will be supported perfectly and curbs will be dampened by the Clubsport coilovers. Because of the Unibal aluminum top mounts the handling benefits even more. Additionally, the camber can be adjusted via the Clubsport top mounts on the front axle.
At the rear axle, the KW V4 Clubsport has no external reservoir. Separately adjustable lowspeed and highspeed compression valves are laterally mounted at the damper. The aluminum top mounts for the rear axle dampers have Unibal bearings and are mounted directly at the original body bolt points of the car.
With BMW M Performance aerodynamic components made of carbon fibers IND Distribution refined the body cladding. In the scope of the parts certificate, a continuous lowering of 20 to 34 millimeters at the front axle and 15 to 30 millimeters at the rear axle is possible.
IND Distribution decided on M Performance Accessories and many more for the BMW M. But who knows…maybe the noble interior of the BMW M will someday be replaced by a motorsport expansion with a welded roll cage…?
By the way, IND Distribution retrofitted the M4 on titanium stud bolts. At BBS we will soon launch our new BBS Unlimited wheel system which might be very interesting for wheel and tire retailers.
Photos: KW, IND Distribution, BMW; Words C. Schmidt
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