Turning crossover models into true all-rounders

The strong growth of the outdoor market in recent years has been driven mainly by young and leisure-oriented people.
This trend is also reflected in the choice of vehicle: crossover utility vehicles (CUVs) are very popular in this customer segment.
They usually offer enough space for leisure equipment, are easier on the budget than the large SUVs, and are conditionally suitable for off-road use.
In order to improve the popular crossover models for off-road use, Bilstein says it has developed a special upgrade for CUVs: the Bilstein B8 TerraSport.
It says the shock absorber, developed specially for these vehicles, provides more ground clearance and thus significantly improved off-road capability.
Depending on the application, the Bilstein B8 TerraSport lifts the CUV by one to two inches.
With this additional ground clearance, Bilstein says even rough terrain in the outback is no longer a problem, meaning previously inaccessible destinations can now be reached.
Further, Bilstein says this advantage is not achieved at the expense of poorer road performance, which states it has adjusted the characteristics of the B8 TerraSport so that there is no rocking motion despite the higher centre of gravity.
This is possible thanks to a patented degressive valve setting which reacts immediately to changing surface conditions and adjusts the damping accordingly, seeing the wheels maintain optimal contact with the ground on asphalt as well as under off-road conditions.
Bilstein says the Crosstrek models from 4WD specialist Subaru, which are particularly popular in this segment, offer significantly improved steering and braking performance when equipped with the B8 TerraSport. The suspension does not bottom out and the damping is pleasantly firm when driving fast on the road.
Installation is said to be easy, as the Bilstein B8 TerraSport can be mounted on the factory fitted coil springs. Therefore, no additional lift springs are needed for fans of the outdoors to benefit from the off-road features.
Thus, Bilstein says the price to performance ratio is perfectly suited to the young target group – an important argument for workshops when they want to recommend CUV drivers to convert to Bilstein B8 TerraSport.
In any case, Bilstein says there is great additional sales potential for workshops, as the Bilstein B8 TerraSport range is available for many popular CUVs, such as Subaru Crosstrek/Subaru XV Crosstrek, Subaru Forester, Subaru Outback, and Toyota RAV4.
Like all Bilstein products, Bilstein says its B8 TerraSport shock absorbers are specifically tested and adjusted for each vehicle model; always with the optimum road performance in mind.

For more information, visit www.bilstein.com