For several decades, BILSTEIN has been focusing on one goal: building the world’s best and sportiest shock absorbers. The suspension specialist from Ennepetal underlines its experience in this field with numerous victories in the Monte Carlo Rally, international endurance races or Formula 1. Experience that is gladly put to good use: For example, by leading car manufacturers that use BILSTEIN OEM products. Or by passionate trackday drivers and tuning enthusiasts looking for the perfect high-performance damper or the particularly high-performance sports or coilover suspension. They all know: BILSTEIN doesn’t just stand for the highest premium quality. BILSTEIN is constantly looking for innovative solutions to all issues related to suspension.
Perfect for series production and motorsports
Today, the company is known as a highly reliable partner for all suspension needs. This is no coincidence. Quality and superior performance of the first gas-pressure shock absorbers developed by BILSTEIN (“de Carbon principle”) have been impressive since the late 1950s: Mercedes-Benz is the first OEM to install them in its production vehicles. At the beginning of the 1960s, Porsche used BILSTEIN shock absorbers for the first time in a Formula 1 racing car – with great success. Thereafter, all Porsche racing cars, prototypes and sports cars were equipped with BILSTEIN shock absorbers. Accordingly, the list of drivers, teams and cars that succeeded with BILSTEIN dampers is quite long.
Optimisation as the driving force
There is a spirit behind the success in motorsports that all experts for driving pleasure have in common – be it development engineers, passionate drivers or ambitious tinkerers: the quest to optimise the suspension. The perfect driving experience can only be achieved with a perfectly tuned suspension/shock absorber. BILSTEIN engineers have been working on this for decades, finding innovative solutions and ultimately ensuring that a wide range of products is available for every vehicle model. This is supplied in outstanding OEM quality, because even aftermarket products are manufactured on the same machines as the parts for major OEMs such as Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Porsche, Ford, Tesla or Maserati. True to their motto also in the aftermarket: “Premium quality for everyone”.
WAY AHEAD – the success story continues
More than 4,600 employees at six locations around the globe ensure that the legendary benchmark quality is discernible, with approx. 13 million dampers produced each year. The company also draws on its 150 years of experience as a supplier to the automotive industry. This is complemented by the absolute will to innovate, because there are historical reasons why the inventor of the gas pressure shock absorber for series production likes to look ahead. Once founded as a manufacturer of window frames, it was always big steps for the company to move towards the future with confidence. “WAY AHEAD”, the company’s new claim, is therefore not only perfect for BILSTEIN. It is true to the motto: “The next innovation is always more important than the last.” We can therefore look forward with anticipation to the innovations that will be coming onto the global market from Ennepetal in the next few years. As usual, the strong fan base of ambitious drivers is not going to be disappointed. Because: “Yesterday we have revolutionised shock absorbers. Today we celebrate 150 years of BILSTEIN. Tomorrow we shape the future of suspension engineering.”
