• AST/MOTON is a Netherlands-based manufacturer dedicated to building suspension solutions for street cars and championship-winning race teams across genres.
• The G87 M2 is one of the most enthralling driver’s car platforms in recent memory but comes with a rather unsightly factory ride height.
• The G87 M2 suspension program from AST Suspensions now touts this lowering spring set, an Adjustable Lowering Spring set (ALS), and a full array of coilovers (5100, 5200, and 5300).
• AST Suspension’s G87 M2 lowering spring set achieves a 32mm (1.3”) and 30mm (1.2”) drop, front to back respectively, to improve the visual stance of the car without losing EDC functionality.

Not everyone needs a Master’s degree to be successful. The same can be applied to aftermarket suspension where the dominant rhetoric demands “real” car enthusiasts buy full-blown coilover kits designed for racing. Of course, akin to a Master’s degree, a dedicated coilover kit does have its benefits. Both are predicated on lofty expectations, by the cost incurred and the advertised proficiencies on the box. In the car world, it’s more common to think that a motorsport coilover is what you need, even if it means that 100% of your driving has nothing to do with a race track. The point is that we should be more discerning about how we intend to use our cars before committing to a solution that doesn’t fit into our lives.

TOP TO BOTTOM

AST Suspensions has understood this conundrum from the beginning. Although its illustrious history has more to do with technical and motorsport achievement above all else, its day-to-day operations are committed to crafting suspension solutions for the real world. Indeed, offering a wide array of enthusiast products to a single car—like the G87 M2—is AST’s calling card. It now carries a lowering spring set, an Adjustable Lowering Spring set (ALS), and an array of three adjustable coilovers—5100, 5200, and 5300—for BMW’s latest M car. The Netherlands-based suspension company does this so that every M2 owner can pick the right components based on their desired usage.

GO GO GADGET SUSPENSION

In the case of the M2, the car is essentially brand new and a majority of G87 owners will be using it for what it was designed to be: a street car. The M badging’s propensity may compel some to fork over the extra cash for AST’s coilovers—a percentage will be dual-duty cars over time, surely. But the new car status leaves room for two of AST’s products: the lowering spring set (ASTLS-01-001) and the Adjustable Lowering Spring kit (ALS-21-004). The latter we’ve talked about ad nauseam. Since the kit repurposes the factory fresh OEM dampers, It’s aimed at a similar audience as the lowering springs but with (as the name suggests) height flexibility in mind. Still, if adjustment isn’t what you need, the lowering spring set can save you a bundle of cash while reaping the benefit of a visual upgrade. Both of these kits allow you to experience the G87 M2’s suspension wizardry, a Jekyll and Hyde type of transformation that toggles the car’s personality from soothing to sensitive.

BY THE NUMBERS

The AST Suspensions lowering spring set also does another thing: it allows you to experience the company’s suspension tuning proficiency—especially to work seamlessly with the OEM dampers—without breaking the bank. These G87 M2 progressively-wound springs reduce the front ride height by 32mm (1.3”) and 30mm (1.2”) out back. This isn’t the kit to slam your car; by comparison, the ALS kit maxes out at 45mm (1.8”) and 36mm (1.4”), but the lowering springs’ numbers are more than adequate to dial out the stilt-like appearance from the factory.

IS THIS KIT FOR ME?

There is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to suspension. Instead, it’s all about how you intend to use it. Regardless of where you land on AST/MOTON’s product line, the company’s engineering prowess, manufacturing quality, and dedication to suspension mastery are there for the taking. The price point may have you thinking otherwise, but AST’s lowering springs aren’t generic fare; the G87 M2 set is matched specifically for this vehicle. If the ALS kit is a bit out of reach, these lowering springs are the perfect entry-level product to get first-hand experience with a top-tier suspension manufacturer.

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