KW V4 Coilover Kit for BMW M8 (F93) Review & Specs

The KW V4 coilover kit for the BMW M8 (F93) is a fully adjustable, motorsport-derived suspension system that trades the factory adaptive dampers for KW's flagship 3-way design. On paper the M8 Competition is already a weapon — a 4.4L S63 twin-turbo V8 making 617 hp and 553 lb-ft, hurling a 4,480 lb Gran Coupe to 60 mph in about 3.0 seconds. But that same weight and a comfort-biased factory ride height are exactly what hold the M8 back on a canyon road or a track day. This review breaks down what the KW V4 actually delivers, how it compares to KW H.A.S. and lowering springs, and what to expect during installation. At NLP Performance in Tampa, FL, we spec and corner-balance kits like this for M-car owners every week.

What Is the KW V4 Coilover Kit for the BMW M8?

The KW V4 is KW Automotive's range-topping, three-way adjustable coilover for the M8 — a complete strut-and-spring replacement that lets you set ride height, rebound, and compression damping independently. It sits at the very top of KW's street lineup: V1 is fixed, V2 adds rebound adjustment, V3 is a 2-way (rebound plus a single compression circuit), and the V4 is 3-way, adding separately adjustable low-speed and high-speed compression on top of rebound. That is the same logic race engineers use to separate body control (low-speed) from impact absorption over kerbs and bumps (high-speed).

Concretely, the M8 kit gives you 16 clicks of rebound and a KW TVCLH-A compression valve with 6 low-speed clicks and 14 high-speed clicks. Ride height is continuously adjustable roughly 10–30 mm (0.4–1.2 in) front and rear on threaded, height-adjustable strut bodies. Every strut uses KW's stainless-steel "inox-line" housing, which is 100% corrosion-resistant so the adjustment threads never seize — a real concern on a car you will lower and re-set over its life.

BMW M8 (F93) Gran Coupe: 617 HP That Deserves Better Suspension

The BMW M8 Competition Gran Coupe is a 617 hp, all-wheel-drive four-door that weighs roughly 4,480 lb — and physics does not care how good the S63 engine is. That mass has to be controlled through weight transfer, and the factory adaptive M dampers are tuned to split the difference between limousine comfort and M-car body control. The base M8 makes 600 hp; the Competition makes 617 hp, both with 553 lb-ft of torque. Top speed is limited to 155 mph, or 189 mph with the M Driver's Package. It is fast in a straight line, but on turn-in a stock M8 leans on its outside tires and dives under its own 155-mph-plus braking loads.

Upgrading the suspension lowers the center of gravity, sharpens weight transfer, and puts the tire contact patch where it belongs. On a heavy grand tourer the payoff is real: less body roll, less nose dive, more consistent camber under load, and steering that finally feels connected. The trade-off is ride firmness and the need for an alignment — which is exactly why an adjustable coilover like the V4, rather than a fixed spring, is so appealing on a car this heavy and this expensive.

Worth knowing: the M8's factory adaptive dampers offer Comfort, Sport, and Sport Plus modes, but every mode still works within the limits of a single OEM valve tuned for a wide comfort window. A dedicated coilover moves the whole envelope — you are no longer picking between three factory presets, you are setting the spring rate, ride height, and damping curve the chassis actually runs. That is why serious M8 track builds almost always start with the suspension before chasing more than the S63's stock 617 hp.

KW V4 Coilover Kit: The Featured Product

The single biggest reason to choose the V4 over springs on an M8 is the included electronic damping cancellation kit. Because the V4 replaces the OEM adaptive dampers, KW ships a plug that emulates the factory damper signal, so the instrument cluster never throws a suspension fault. You get full 3-way coilover control with a factory-clean dash — something fixed springs on the stock adaptive struts simply cannot offer without their own workaround.

Is the KW V4 Worth $8,774 on an M8?

For most M8 owners the honest answer depends on how the car is used. If your M8 lives on the street and you mainly want a cleaner stance with a touch more body control, KW H.A.S. or a set of sport springs deliver most of the visual and handling benefit for a fraction of the price. The V4 earns its $8,774.00 when you actually use the adjustment — track-day drivers who want to firm up high-speed compression for kerbs while keeping low-speed compliance for the street, or owners who change ride height seasonally, get value no fixed spring can match.

Put in context, $8,774.00 is roughly 6% of a new M8 Competition Gran Coupe's sticker — a reasonable slice to spend making a 4,480 lb, 617 hp car handle the way its engine promises. Against rival 3-way coilovers, the V4 stands out as the most refined street-to-track option because it pairs full motorsport-derived adjustment with an OEM-quiet dash and a limited lifetime warranty. For a keeper M8 that sees both commutes and track days, it is the suspension we would buy.

KW V4 vs H.A.S. vs Lowering Springs: M8 Suspension Options Compared

There are three ways to improve an M8's stance and handling, and they sit at very different price points. Full coilovers (KW V4) replace the dampers and give you total control. KW H.A.S. keeps the factory adaptive dampers and adds height-adjustable spring perches. Fixed lowering springs (H&R, AST) are the simplest, cheapest drop. The table below compares the M8 options we stock — match the exact part to your body style (F91 convertible, F92 coupe, F93 Gran Coupe) at checkout.

KW H.A.S.: adjustable stance without touching the dampers

H&R and AST Sport Springs: the budget-conscious drop

Installation, Alignment, and Corner Balancing

Plan on a full day for a professional coilover installation on an M8. The V4 is a direct-fit replacement for the factory struts, but the M8's AWD front geometry, brake lines, and the EDC cancellation harness all need care during the swap. In our Tampa shop, the sequence that saves the most grief is: set a conservative baseline ride height on the bench, install all four corners, then roll the car, settle the suspension, and measure before touching damping.

Two steps are non-negotiable after any ride-height change on this car. First, a 4-wheel alignment is mandatory — lowering an M8 changes camber and toe, and skipping alignment will chew through a set of expensive staggered tires in weeks. Second, because the V4 is height-adjustable per corner, we corner-balance the car so cross-weights are even; on a 4,480 lb GT that step is the difference between a car that rotates evenly and one that pushes in one direction. Start damping in the middle of KW's range, then adjust low-speed compression for body control and high-speed compression for kerb/bump harshness separately.

Complete the M8 Build

A dialed chassis pairs naturally with more airflow and a louder exhaust note. Two of the most popular M8 upgrades we ship alongside suspension are a valved cat-back and upgraded charge-air cooling for the boosted S63.