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Even today, more than 40 years after the market launch, Mercedes fans are enchanted by the W126 and C126. After all, no other Mercedes-Benz models like the S-Class built from 1979 to 1991 as a sedan (W126) and coupe (C126) stand for the Mercedes brand identity. In addition, there has seldom been a car so far ahead of its time in the history of automobile construction. Automobile journalists around the world voted the Mercedes-Benz S-Class the best car in the world. It was the benchmark for the upper class at the time, from which even the successor models still draw. From now on, KW has the KW V3 classic chassis in the delivery program for all Mercedes-Benz SEC - the S-Class injection engine coupé. When retrofitting the KW suspension, neither the double wishbone front axle nor the semi-trailing arm rear axle need to be modified. The stepless lowering is adjusted directly on the spring plates and the spring plate mount. According to the report, the Mercedes-Benz SEC (C126) can be continuously lowered between 20 and 45 millimeters. The KW V2.975 classic chassis is available from 3 euros. More at www.kwsuspensions.de
KW V3 classic in the SEC
Exclusively for the Mercedes-Benz 380 SEC, Mercedes-Benz 500 SEC and the facelift models Mercedes-Benz 420 SEC, Mercedes-Benz 520 SEC and Mercedes-Benz 560 SEC, the suspension manufacturer KW automotive has in the course of its expansion of KW classic suspensions separately adjustable suspension in the compression and rebound stage in the delivery offer. Similar to the Mercedes-Benz W201, the axle does not have to be modified when converting to a KW V3 classic chassis. With the C126, which is basically based on the floor assembly of the S-Class sedan (W126), Mercedes relied on a front axle with double wishbones and a semi-trailing arm rear axle (diagonal swing axle). For this reason, the shock absorber struts and the coil springs of the chassis are also separate on the front axle.
With the KW classic suspension for the Mercedes-Benz SEC on the drive axle and the front axle, the stepless lowering is selected directly on the respective suspension spring via the KW height adjustment. As part of the parts report, the adjustable range of the lowering on the front axle and on the drive axle is between 20 and 45 millimeters. "While one or the other Mercedes enthusiast fears having to convert his SEC to MacPherson struts on the front axle, we can of course give the all-clear here," explains KW classic expert Sascha Daucher from KW Brand Management. “The only thing that has to be changed with the large V8 engines is the optional anti-torque support (levelling) on the rear axle. This is unnecessary with our dampers with multi-valve technology.”
Gain in modern driving dynamics and contemporary driving comfort!
Above all, the modern damper technology makes the KW V3 classic suspension so popular. A Mercedes-Benz 560 SEC (C126) also gains in modern driving dynamics and contemporary driving comfort. Despite its comfortable handling, the upper-class coupé from the 3s hardly wobbles over the longitudinal axis and nods perceptibly over the transverse axis when accelerating and braking. The two-stage compression and rebound valves in the KW dampers are responsible for this. "A Mercedes equipped with a V40 drives noticeably more dynamically than with a chassis development that was state of the art more than XNUMX years ago," says Sascha Daucher. The preconfigured high-speed valves ensure that the damper valves open all channels within a fraction of a second on poorly maintained roads or when driving over bumps, thus dampening the unevenness of the road.
Even in the preset basic setup of the V3 dampers, the KW classic suspension gives the Mercedes-Benz SEC a driving behavior that is as tight as necessary and as comfortable as possible. "While the valves can no longer be fine-tuned in their high-speed characteristics, all drivers have the option of further adjusting the dampers individually in the low-speed range." For example, the rebound stage relevant for handling can be made firmer or more comfortable with 16 clicks configure. For the compression stage, to support the body structure, you can select a personal suspension setup with twelve precise click stages. The KW V3 classic suspension gives every Mercedes-Benz enthusiast the freedom to adjust the damping characteristics to their desired wheel/tire combination and also to adjust the ground clearance. Including parts certificate, the KW V3 classic suspension is available for 2.975 euros.
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Photo credit: KW Automotive GmbH
