Penske Coilovers: Series, Pricing, and Fitment

Penske Racing Shocks builds coilovers as application-specific, double- or triple-adjustable dampers rather than one off-the-shelf "Penske coilover kit." The three lines most road and track-day owners cross-shop are the 7500, 8300, and 8700/8760.

See the full coilover brand directory for how these series stack up against other double- and triple-adjustable lines.

Most street and track-day owners researching Penske coilovers end up comparing the 7500 against the 8300 rather than reaching straight for a triple-adjustable 8700. The 7500 skips the external reservoir, so it is lighter and simpler to mount, and it is the option Penske's own vehicle-specific kits (like the Cadillac CTS-V Gen 2 package) offer at the same per-corner price as the 8300.

The 8300's piggyback or remote reservoir adds oil capacity and better heat resistance under sustained track or drag use, which is why it is the more common spec on dedicated road-racing and autocross builds. The 8700/8760 is the step up for racers who need to separate high-speed compression (bump absorption) from low-speed compression (chassis roll and weight transfer) instead of tuning both with one knob; Penske prices that independent high/low-speed adjustment as an upgrade over the 8300 rather than as a separate base series.

Penske does not sell coilovers through a standard online catalog the way most street-coilover brands do. Orders go through the S3 program (Shock + Setup + Support), where a Penske technician recommends shock valving and a spring rate for the customer's specific vehicle and use case before the shock is built.

Springs are sold separately on every Penske coilover kit, typically sourced from Hyperco or Eibach, and application-specific kits list a per-corner price rather than a complete-set price. On Penske's own vehicle kits (Cadillac CTS-V Gen 2, Chevy Corvette C5/C6) the 7500 and 8300 are priced the same per corner, and stepping up to the 8700/8760 triple-adjustable valving adds a flat upgrade fee on top.

Penske competes with QA1 at the double-adjustable, drag-and-track end of the market: both sell per-corner, shaft- or reservoir-adjustable dampers rather than fixed-valve street kits, though QA1 lists more of its kits with published prices and spring rates online, while Penske routes most orders through its S3 consultation.

Ohlins is the closer peer on build quality and racing pedigree - both brands supply dampers to professional road-racing series and offer triple-adjustable options with independent high/low-speed compression. KW's Clubsport line targets the same triple-adjustable track niche but, like most German coilover brands, sells complete catalog kits with published spring rates and drop ranges, which Penske generally does not publish.

Because every Penske coilover is built to order through the S3 program, installation follows the same general steps as any coilover install: unbolt the factory strut or shock-and-spring assembly, bolt in the Penske unit with the spring and hardware Penske specified, and reconnect the sway bar end links and brake lines.

Ride height on coilover-converted applications is set by threading the spring perch, the same method covered in how to adjust coilovers; a coilover spanner wrench makes turning that collar easier than pliers. Damping is separate from ride height: the 7500's compression and rebound adjusters sit on the shock body itself, while the 8300 and 8700/8760 move the compression adjustment to the remote or piggyback reservoir, so changing ride height does not require touching the damping knobs.