The Lexus IS200 is widely regarded as the car that showed the BMW 3 series the way home. A superb mix of refinement, equipment and ride wrapped in a great looking package. To that list of credentials, you can now add ‘handling’ thanks to the latest performance spring kit from Cobra Suspension.
The precision-wound kit drops the lofty Lexus down by approximately 40mm, making it look rather more suitable for the track than the golf club. Thanks to its new found lower centre of gravity, turn-in and handling are greatly improved, with ride quality left almost untouched.
The manufacturing process behind each kit sets it apart from the competition. Each spring is cold-wound from high tensile Chromium–Silicone wire before being shot-peened for longevity and then finished with a phosphate treatment and baked-on resin powder coating, for a hard corrosion resistant shell. The Cobra kits also come with an unparalleled lifetime warranty against breakage, making them unique in the UK marketplace.
For enthusiasts searching for the pinnacle in handling and adjustability, Cobra also offer their Evo 3 coilover kit for the car which offers massive ride adjustments of up to 60mm, plus full bump and rebound incremental damping on a stainless steel body for just £1311.18 + VAT. This kit is aimed squarely at the fast road and track day enthusiast and offers the ability for full corner-weighting and precise chassis set-up.
So if you want the luxury and refinement of Toyota’s finest marque, combine with tenacious road-holding and an all-important improvement in stance and visual appeal – and for just £146.00 + VAT, click to www.cobra-suspension.com or call the team on 01530 517920.
The manufacturing process behind each kit sets it apart from the competition. Each spring is cold-wound from high tensile Chromium–Silicone wire before being shot-peened for longevity and then finished with a phosphate treatment and baked-on resin powder coating, for a hard corrosion resistant shell.
Although you could be forgiven for thinking that all of the tricks are on the outside, thanks to stunning levels of presentation and material choice, the R/T range houses its real tricks inside its clinically machined billet alloy and carbon steel bodies. Öhlins have exclusively developed its own, unique, dual flow valve (DFV) technology which replaces the parallel compression valve (PCV) found in other units. Although a PCV application is a good basic design, it only uses one shim stack to allow fluid movement as the damper compresses and extends. It is very hard to change the handling characteristics of a vehicle that is damped this way. Two shim stacks may be used, but then this can have a detrimental effect on both comfort and road-holding.
Other design highlights include graduated front camber adjustments and factory matched combined damping and rebound rates on one positive detent adjuster. Height adjustment is also achieved by winding the lower mounting face up or down, rather than the spring platform, leaving the all-important free length of the spring untouched, maintaining optimum characteristics throughout its travel