KW Suspensions is a higher-end coilover company that makes upgrades for a wide range of performance cars. Now it’s expanding its offerings in the off-road world, with a “Safari Style” suspension range for the Porsche Cayenne, VW Touareg, and even the 996 and 997 Porsche 911. These new kits combine a little lift with sports-car adjustability and responsiveness.

The kit for a 996 911 lists at $5,429; more than standard KW V3 coilovers but a heck of a lot cheaper than a 911 Dakar (which is like a quarter-million bucks, if you can even find one). The German brand has offered a setup like this on a made-to-order basis for air-cooled 911s for years, and other outfits have done some complete 996 conversions. But this application for the 996 is going to be a lot more accessible.

Here’s a pretty neat animation giving you a guts-side perspective:

The main value propositions of the KW V3 Safari Style setup here are independently adjustable low-speed compression and low-speed rebound damping. This lets you fine-tune the suspension so you get off-road capability without sacrificing the on-road driving dynamics and comfort that KW is known for. It also utilizes composite spring seats and dirt-resistant trapezoidal threads to handle the elements. The lift is modest—up to 30 millimeters (about 1.2 inches)—but that’s enough to get you a meaningful increase in suspension travel and room for slightly upsized tires.

It’s not meant for racing or rock crawling. More like dirt-road blasting and potholes.

Here’s the brochure pitch:

“When driving on gravel tracks or away from paved roads, significantly higher damper shaft velocities occur. The high-speed valves open and, due to the increased oil flow volume, damping force rises more gradually than in the low-speed range, even at higher piston speeds. As a result, even these harsh impacts are effectively absorbed. The preset low-speed compression and rebound damping settings can be fine-tuned further with twelve clicks of compression adjustment and sixteen clicks of rebound adjustment. With the adjustable compression and rebound forces in the low-speed range, it’s possible to further fine-tune handling, pitch, and roll body motions in cornering.”

The high-level stuff is the same for the Cayenne and Touareg applications. But those don’t seem quite as exciting as the idea of an inexpensive (relatively) safari 911. Here’s a quick detail download on specs and fitments:

New KW V3 Safari Style Suspension Fitments

• Porsche 996 911 Carrera 4 and Carrera 4S
• Porsche 997 911 Carrera 2, Carrera 2S, Carrera 4, and Carrera 4S
  • Depending on the adjustment range selected, the 911 can be raised by 20 to 30 millimeters at both axles.

• Porsche Cayenne (9PA)
• VW Touareg (7L)
  • Ground clearance can be increased from 0 to 30 millimeters at the front axle and from 5 to 30 millimeters at the rear axle.

The lift doesn’t look particularly dramatic, but KW knows what it’s doing. Here are some images of the kit on a few different vehicles.

KW Safari Suspension on a 996

KW Safari Suspension on a 997

KW Safari Suspension on a Cayenne

KW Safari Suspension Glamor Shots

a

a

KW also teased that it’s going to keep expanding its off-roady offerings with a kit for the VW Golf and other cars in the future.

Got a tip? Drop us a line at tips@thedrive.com.

The post This New Porsche 911 Off-Road Lift Kit Is Your Ticket to a Cheap 911 Dakar appeared first on The Drive.