Nitron Racing Shocks made a name for itself in ... - jdnewman.co.uk

060-062 PBMW 1009 28/8/09 11:58 Page 60
Nitron Racing Shocks made a name for itself in motorsport and now brings its skills and knowledge
to the public arena. We find out how and why this small and tightly knit UK operation has achieved
such a reputation and how your BMW could benefit from it Words and Pics: Joel Newman
Forget your aluminium handbrakes,
flared body kits and even that new
back box you’ve been thinking of.
While they may improve the sound
and the styling of your steed, in
terms of performance these superficial
modifications will make no difference to
your track times.
For many of us – which really means for
those who’ve never driven a car with a
serious suspension setup – these types of
modifications are enough. But there are
those who have experienced a well-sorted
vehicle and can attest to the difference a
stiff, low and highly adjustable chassis can
make to the feel, performance and potential
lap times of any car.
Today we’re at Nitron Racing Systems, a
suspension specialist located in the UK’s
‘Motorsport Valley,’ in Oxfordshire. Since
1998 the firm has built a reputation for
supplying some of the finest shocks in the
world. In fact, the firm started its
ascendance into the world of motorsport by
fettling and improving the handling of
Lotuses and TVRs. If you’ve ever driven a
car from TVR or Lotus, you’ll know what an
awesome accomplishment improving the
handling of either of them really is.
In fact, the various custom and off-theshelf
suspension packages Nitron has to
offer has led to huge growth, with the firm
opening a new production plant in Japan to
cope with the increases in demand from the
Asian market; here in the UK they moved to
much larger premises 18 months ago.
But how exactly has Nitron been able to
expand when the economy has seen a severe
cut in personal spending?
Arriving at the workshop, the first thing
you think of is ‘surgical theatre’! It’s as clean
and professional a working environment as

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I’ve ever witnessed. CEO Guy Evans
explains: “We have invested a great deal of
time and finance to ensure we have the very
best technology available to create worldbeating
suspension. Initial development uses
the latest 3D CAD systems; we have 40 shock
assembly stations; a wireless Beissbarth CCD
camera-based wheel alignment system that
incorporates live dual load cell corner
weighting; a Roehrig hydraulic spring test
and shock dynamometer; and we have full
access to a shaker rig for further fine tuning
and shock development.”
With over a decade of experience the firm
has received critical acclaim from all who’ve
come into contact with its products and in
recent years it has produced an array of kits
for a variety of high-end manufacturers. You
may even remember Nitron’s appearance on
Top Gear where its three-way adjustable
shock and spring setup was fitted to a
Renault Avantime that subsequently lapped
the track 4.5 seconds faster than standard.
Nitron already has a solid list of
applications for BMWs covering the E36 M3,
the E46 range up to and including the M3
and CSL, the Z3M/Z4M, the E90 and E92 M3,
and the 1-Series. At the more restrained end
of the spectrum, Nitron’s NTR Sport kits
feature rubber mounts and less aggressive
spring rates. These basic kits still feature
ride height adjustment, damper adjustment
and Eibach racing coil springs.
The next level of kit, the NTR Sport+,
includes camber- and castor-adjustable
pillow ball top-plates for extra precision and
adjustability. For the most discerning track
drivers there are remote reservoir kits
offering independent bump, low-speed bump
and rebound damping adjusters.
As each of these kits is produced to order,
customers can tailor their setup depending

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on the car’s use,
tyre choice, and
even driver skill!
Nitron has the
technology and
flexibility to do
all this in-house
and in many
instances at no
extra cost. If
you’re
fashioning
something
really special, then
the guys can work out and create the perfect
package to suit your needs using their 3D
CAD design studio. Prices range from £1245
for an entry kit, to £2995 for the all-singing,
all-dancing three-way NTR Race kit.
In fact, Nitron prides itself on its ability to
manufacture any application or combination
of spring and damper, faster and more costeffectively
than any of its rivals, as it’s able
to undertake complete chassis analysis and
product development in-house. This roll-in,
roll-out package reduces the end cost and
also enables customers to create bespoke
62 PERFORMANCE BMW
and ultra effective suspension for their road,
track or race car. Simply explain how you
want your car to handle and respond, and
then take advantage of the huge range of
services on offer, such as professional
corner weighting, geometry setup and the
shaker rig. All available to the public and all
serving a common goal, to create the
ultimate setup for each specific application.
With the ability to produce shockingly
good suspension systems, it may surprise
you to hear that Nitron is also as keen on
aesthetics and ergonomics as it is on
supreme performance. This is obvious the
second you set eyes on any of the products.
Nitron shocks are all-alloy to reduce mass
and inertia, and from the gleaming gold
collars, turquoise springs and anodised,
billet-machined struts, every facet of every
component exceeds expectations. And that’s
before you’ve taken your first road test.
Having spent the day with Senior
Engineer Pete Newbury and Technician
Jamie Lathwell, I can tell you that Nitron’s
levels of service and knowledge are
exceptional. So much so that the firm’s NTR
Sport kit has recently been snapped up by
tuner CA Automotive, whose blown E46 M3,
the fastest of its kind in Europe, now sports
Nitron’s finest. So impressed was CA
Automotive that it has become official and
exclusive distributor for Nitron.
If you are even considering a suspension
upgrade we implore you to speak to Nitron.
Whether that be for advice, a quote or a
simple enquiry and chat with one of the inhouse
engineers, you’ll come away furnished
with all the information you require to make
a well-informed decision.
Nitron may not be suitable for everybody,
and those simply after a bit of a drop should
not apply. However, if you’re looking to truly
transform the drive and feel of your car, then
you’re on the right page. Stiffer, more
responsive, unphasable suspension that lets
you know exactly what’s going on at the
road surface and translates this information
through your fingertips, is now available to
the public and not the reserve of the
professional race team. Forget how your car
felt when it left the factory; Nitron
suspension will make you wonder what
BMW was doing in the first place, it really is
that good ●
CONTACT
Nitron Racing Systems Ltd, Unit 20, Avenue One, Station Lane,
Witney, Oxfordshire OX28 4XZ. Tel: 01993 849449 Web: www.nitron.co.uk