KW's V3 Safari Style Coilovers Lift 996 and 997 911s, Cayennes and Touaregs for the Dirt

The Safari 911 started as a rally homage and turned into one of the most fun trends in the Porsche world: lifted 911s on chunky tires, roof racks and light pods, driven on gravel on purpose. Up to now, getting the ride height right usually meant custom springs or one-off builds. KW has made it a catalog part. PASMAG reported on September 25 that KW introduced V3 Safari Style coilovers for select Porsche and Volkswagen models.

The 911 coverage is the 996-generation Carrera 4 and Carrera 4S and the 997-generation Carrera 2, Carrera 2S, Carrera 4 and Carrera 4S. Those cars get an adjustable ride height increase of 20 to 30 mm at both axles.

Cayenne and Touareg too

KW also covers the first-generation Porsche Cayenne (9PA) and Volkswagen Touareg (7L), the two SUVs that share a platform and a reputation as cheap, capable used overlanders. For those, the lift range is 0 to 30 mm in front and 5 to 30 mm in back. That is a modest lift, but on cars that came with air or steel springs from the factory, the point is controlled height with real damping, not monster-truck clearance.

The V3 name means two independent adjustments: low-speed compression with 12 clicks and rebound with 16 clicks. The high-speed valves are fixed. Struts and damper bodies are stainless steel, which matters for something that will see mud, salt and pressure washers.

Why it matters

A 996 Carrera 4 is still one of the more affordable ways into all-wheel-drive 911 ownership, and that is exactly why so many Safari builds start there. Giving those owners an off-the-shelf, adjustable lift from a major damper brand makes the trend easier and safer to copy, and it adds credibility to builds that used to depend on guesswork.

KW says applications for additional manufacturers are already in development, PASMAG reported. Pricing and availability were not part of the announcement.