AST x MOTON Coilovers — Porsche

Why AST x MOTON Suits a Porsche

Porsche builds extraordinary factory dampers. PASM is genuinely well-tuned, the GT3 and GT4 dampers are race-derived, and the standard 911 / Cayman / Boxster suspension is light-years ahead of what most performance car manufacturers ship. So why does anyone fit AST or MOTON to a Porsche?

Three reasons. First, even Porsche's best dampers are sealed, fixed-tune systems. They're race-derived, but they're not adjustable in the way a serious track car needs — you can't change spring rate, you can't revalve for a different aero package, and you can't rebuild them when the seals wear at 50,000 km of hard use. Second, the factory damping curves are designed around a wide bandwidth of customer use. A purpose-built motorsport damper with rebound and compression adjustability lets you optimise the chassis for one type of driving — track, time attack, or club racing — instead of compromising across all three.

Third, and most importantly: AST and MOTON are the same dampers running in GT3 and GT4 customer racing programmes globally. The Dutch facility builds for serious Porsche club racers, GT4 series competitors, and time attack teams. When you spec an AST 5300 3-way or MOTON 3-way Motorsport for your 911 or Cayman, you're getting motorsport-tier hardware that's been refined against the same chassis on the world's most demanding circuits.

Add to that the practical advantages — camber-adjustable front top mounts as standard, fully rebuildable, revalvable for spring rate or aero changes — and the case becomes clear: AST and MOTON give you what factory Porsche damping was never designed to be, on a platform that genuinely deserves it.

The AST x MOTON Range for Porsche

MOTON has a dedicated SKU live for the 911 GT3 (991) — listed in the 991.1 GT3 collection. The full AST and MOTON tier ladder is available made-to-order for the wider Porsche range:

• AST 5100 Competition (Inverted): The flagship single-adjust setup. Inverted strut for lateral load handling, camber-adjustable front tops, rebound damping. The benchmark fast-road-plus-trackday choice for a 911 Carrera, Cayman, or Boxster.
• AST 5200 Series (2-Way): Independent rebound and compression with remote reservoirs. Where serious GT3, GT4, and Cayman GTS club-day builds tend to land — separating compression from rebound damping unlocks setup precision that single-adjust can't reach.
• AST 5300 Series (3-Way): Rebound, low-speed compression, and high-speed compression each on its own knob. Top of the AST range, suited to time attack, GT4-class competition, and dedicated track use.
• MOTON 1-Way Clubsport: Non-inverted monotube, 1-way 12-position rebound, camber-adjustable front tops. The motorsport-tier entry.
• MOTON 2-Way Clubsport: Inverted, monotube, independent rebound and compression with remote reservoirs. 15-step damping adjustment. Strong choice for GT3/GT4 club racing and time attack.
• MOTON 3-Way Motorsport: Inverted, monotube, elevated top guide and helper piston for low-friction operation. Independent rebound, low-speed compression, and high-speed compression. The damper spec running in GT4-class endurance and time attack programmes worldwide.

Spring rates and valving are spec'd to your build at the order stage — talk to us before ordering and we'll match the kit to street-and-trackday, club-level competition, or full motorsport use.

Tuning and Setup

The Porsche platforms reward precise damper setup more than almost any other car. The 911's rear-engine layout and the mid-engine Cayman/Boxster both load their tyres differently to a conventional front-engine car, and the dampers — which AST and MOTON deliver across — directly affect how the chassis handles weight transfer through corners. A few essential reads:

• 1-Way vs 2-Way vs 3-Way Adjustable Damping Explained — what each adjuster controls and where the AST 5100, 5200, 5300 sit.
• How to Adjust AST & MOTON Coilovers — practical guide to where the knobs are and how to develop a baseline.

After installation, a full four-wheel alignment is essential. On the 911 platforms, the factory camber adjustment is limited — the new range from AST/MOTON adjustable tops, paired with the Suspension Secrets camber shim kit and adjustable arms (see below), lets you reach the static camber values a serious track Porsche actually wants.

Pair With Your Porsche Build

The Porsche aftermarket ecosystem we stock is one of the deepest on the site — split across the GT3/RS, GT4/GT4 RS, Cayman GTS, and earlier 981/987 platforms. Worth looking at alongside your coilover order:

• Big Brake Kits — 981/987 Cayman/Boxster: Paragon 6-Piston Front BBK ($4,999) and Paragon 4-Piston Rear BBK ($4,899) — purpose-built for 981 Boxster/Cayman.
• 2-Piece Rotor Upgrades: Paragon 2-Piece Front Rotors 380×34mm and Rear 380×30mm for 981/718 Cayman GT4 / 991 Turbo & Turbo S, plus the Paragon 2-Piece Iron Conversion (410×36.5mm) for 981/718 GT4 owners moving from PCCB to iron rotors.
• Brake Pads — GT3/GT4/GTS: DIXCEL Front Pads (991/992 GT3/RS, 718 GT4 RS, Cayman/Boxster GTS 982) from $575, and DIXCEL Rear Pads (991/992 GT3/RS, 718 GT4 RS, Panamera 971, 911 Turbo S) from $290 — see the DIXCEL compound guide.
• Chassis — 911 GT3/GT2 RS (991): Suspension Secrets Front Camber Shim Kit for 991 GT3/RS/GT2 RS — unlocks negative camber range beyond the limited factory adjustment, plus the Suspension Secrets Rear Upper Control Arm Monoball Kit for 991.1 / 991.2.
• Chassis — 911 GT3 / GT3 Touring (992): Suspension Secrets Soft Spring Conversion Kit ($2,404.60) — a popular setup change for 992 GT3 owners.
• Chassis — 718 GT4 / GT4 RS: Suspension Secrets Stage 1 Rear Top Mount Camber Plates ($1,430), Stage 2 ($2,380), and Suspension Secrets Front Camber and Caster Top Mounts for 718 GT4 RS.
• Chassis — 981/718 Cayman GTS: Suspension Secrets Adjustable Rear Toe Arms ($1,115), Lower Control Arm Inner Monoball, Solid Control Arm Bushes, Adjustable Bump Steer Tie Rod Ends, and Camber & Caster Top Mounts — full geometry overhaul kit for the platform.
• Chassis — 911 (996/997) / Boxster (986/987) / Cayman (987): SPL Porsche Front Sway Bar End Links — the upgrade most early-platform owners need first.
• Adaptive damping: Öhlins EDC Cancellation Kit ($799) for 718 Cayman/GT4, 981 Cayman/GT4, and 991/992 Carrera/Turbo — addresses the dash fault codes if you're moving to non-PASM coilovers on a PASM-equipped car.
• Tuning: COBB Accessport V3 for 981 Cayman/Boxster/991.1 Carrera ($2,261, or $3,320 with PDK flashing), 991.1 Turbo (with PDK), and 991 GT3/RS — the prerequisite ECU tool for any meaningful power gain on a turbo Porsche or for storing maps and logging on a GT car.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why fit AST or MOTON when factory Porsche dampers are already excellent?

Three reasons. First, factory Porsche dampers (including PASM and GT3/GT4 dampers) are sealed, fixed-tune systems — you can't change spring rate, revalve for an aero package, or rebuild them when seals wear. Second, factory damping is tuned for a wide range of customer use; a purpose-built motorsport damper with rebound and compression adjustability lets you optimise the chassis for one type of driving instead of compromising. Third, AST and MOTON are the same dampers running in GT3 and GT4 customer racing globally — when your build is heading toward serious track use, the motorsport-tier hardware genuinely matters.

Which AST or MOTON series is right for my Porsche?

For a street-primary Carrera or Cayman with occasional trackdays, AST 5100 Competition is the benchmark. For a regular HPDE or club-day car (911 GT3, GT4, Cayman GTS), AST 5200 2-way is where most serious builds land. For time attack, GT4-class competition, or dedicated track work, MOTON 2-way or 3-way is the correct spec — it's the same damper hardware running in customer GT racing programmes worldwide.

Will I lose PASM (factory adaptive damping)?

Yes — full coilovers replace the factory dampers entirely, so PASM is no longer in the loop. That's not a downside on a Porsche heading toward serious track use; the AST and MOTON range gives you a much broader tuning bandwidth than the factory closed-loop system, and the dampers are revalvable, so you can retune the car as your build evolves. If your dash throws PASM fault codes after fitting non-PASM coilovers, the Öhlins EDC Cancellation Kit ($799) clears them.

Are AST and MOTON coilovers rebuildable?

Yes. Every damper is fully serviceable — seals replaced, oil refreshed, valving respec'd for a new spring rate, aero package, or shift from street to competition use. A well-maintained set lasts decades rather than being a consumable, which is particularly valuable on a Porsche likely to see hard use over its life.

Does the kit differ between 991 and 992 GT3?

Yes. The 992 GT3 uses double-wishbone front suspension (a first for street 911s), where the 991 GT3 uses MacPherson struts. AST and MOTON build platform-specific kits with different geometry and valving — confirm your generation when ordering. The 992 GT3 also benefits from different chassis upgrades (the Suspension Secrets Soft Spring Conversion Kit is a common pairing).

What about the Cayman / Boxster — different kit to the 911?

Yes. Mid-engine Cayman and Boxster platforms (987, 981, 718) have different geometry, weight distribution, and damper requirements compared to the rear-engine 911. AST and MOTON build platform-specific kits — confirm your model and generation before ordering. The 981 and 718 share more geometry than most assume, and many cross-sell components (Suspension Secrets, Paragon brakes, DIXCEL pads) cover both platforms.

What's the lead time?

AST and MOTON are built to order at the Dutch facility. Typical lead time is around four weeks for the standard AST range; MOTON and custom-spec AST builds can run longer, particularly for less common Porsche variants. If you're targeting a specific event or season, talk to us before ordering — we can sometimes expedite a build.

Do I need a wheel alignment after fitting?

Yes, always. Any ride-height change alters camber, toe, and caster — so a full four-wheel alignment is essential. On the 911 GT3/RS specifically, the factory front camber adjustment is limited; pair the AST/MOTON adjustable tops with the Suspension Secrets Front Camber Shim Kit to reach the static camber values a serious track car actually wants.