Öhlins engineers say, "The ground gives better traction than air," so every Öhlins design has one clear goal: to maximize traction, cornering speed, and control! That is how you win races. Kenth Öhlin made a clear decision many years ago, that he would never give any product away free to teams in sponsorship. Not one thing. So, every team that you see winning on Öhlins is doing so through choice, not obligation. The fact that so many teams choose to decline free product to pay for Öhlins perhaps tells you what you need to know about the quality and ability of their suspension products.

The Öhlins dual-flow valve gives the same characteristics on rebound as it does on compression, thanks to the damper fluid having a consistent path of flow in both directions. This means that the wheel and tire can quickly and effectively resume their important position back on the ground, providing grip and traction. The new Öhlins R&T range uses DFV technology on every single fitment, making it the perfect upgrade for the enthusiast that needs comfort and agility in one unit. Because DFV opens more quickly and easily on minor road imperfections, ride comfort is surprisingly supple and more akin to an OEM strut than a coilover set-up. Over undulating surfaces, the compliancy of the R&T units allows the car to crest bumps and pot-holes, while remaining stable and in control. Traction is always maintained at its optimum level. When comparing suspension, why settle for second best?

Dampers get hot. As the piston moves within the damper, it generates friction - and therefore, heat. Although you can't stop heat, you can deal with it, and this is yet another way that Öhlins differs from the competition. As the heat increases, the viscosity of the damper fluid can change, altering the car's handling characteristics. Their unique needle bleed valve expands with temperature, closing the gap that the fluid travels through, maintaining a consistent damping rate. The part is that you won't even notice! All you'll feel is that the car responds consistently, lap after lap, turn after turn, allowing you to concentrate on braking points and apexes while the Öhlins technology takes care of the damping.

The damping rate on the R&T units is fully adjustable and ties compression and rebound together as a matched setting, meaning that in 99 percent of cases, the units will work superbly, straight 'out of the box' with only the smallest adjustments required to suit the car or drivers individual preferences. Despite what other suspension manufacturers may tell you, comfort is king, even when you are trying to set-up a competition machine. Öhlins' vast experience with events like the World Rally Championship and Isle of Man TT races has shown us that the fastest drivers and riders are those that aren't being shaken to bits as they go flat out. The 'science of compliance' is a hugely important part of their design work.