XYZ Racing Tarmac Rally Coilovers — Audi A3 SPORTBACK 8V Φ50 (Rear Multi-Link Suspension) (Cancellation Kit for ElectronicDamping) 2012-2020

The 8V Sportback’s multi-link rear axle only appears on the higher-output and quattro-equipped versions of the A3, and it’s that axle geometry that makes a proper tarmac-rally setup worth doing on this generation. XYZ Racing’s Tarmac Rally coilover kit is built around that reality – a Φ50 strut body sized for repeated hard hits over broken stage tarmac, crests and mid-corner ridges, without the axle losing composure under load. This is the cancellation-kit version, built for A3s that left the factory with electronic damping – it replaces the OE adaptive dampers with a fixed passive unit and clears the fault codes and warning lights that a straight unplug would otherwise trigger.

For 2012-2020 A3 Sportback 8V cars running stages rather than circuits, that distinction matters more than raw spring rate. Tarmac rally loads a chassis differently to track driving – compressions arrive off camber and mid-corner with no warning – and this kit is set up for that kind of repeated abuse rather than smooth, predictable circuit surfaces.

What this coilover does for your 2012-2020 Audi A3 Sportback 8V

With the electronic damping system cancelled, the A3 loses the adaptive damper’s habit of softening under repeated big hits and hunting for a setting mid-stage – instead you get one consistent, mechanically-set response every time the road drops away underneath you. The Φ50 strut body carries more oil volume than a slimmer aftermarket unit, which counts for more when a stage throws compression after compression at speed rather than the odd track kerb. On the multi-link rear, geometry stays more controlled under load than a torsion-beam car allows, so the rear axle keeps finding grip through rough, off-camber corners instead of skipping across them. Ride height is adjustable at each corner, so front-to-rear balance can be set to suit a given stage’s surface rather than left at a factory compromise.

About the Tarmac Rally coilover

XYZ Racing built the Tarmac Rally line for sealed-stage work, where the surface is broken, cambered and patched rather than smooth circuit tarmac. The valving is tuned to soak up the impact of uneven ground and absorb the jolt of bigger compressions without feeding that shock straight into the body – the goal is to keep the tyre in contact with the road rather than let it skip off it, since traction is what actually wins stage time. That same control is what keeps the car settled through a corner instead of reacting to every camber change underneath it. XYZ arrived at these damping settings through its own tarmac rally programme rather than adapting a road or circuit tune, and construction uses a monotube-style Φ50 strut, chosen for the extra fluid volume a repeated-hit discipline like rally demands over a single fast lap.

Fitment for the Audi A3 Sportback 8V (2012-2020)

This kit is built for the Audi A3 Sportback 8V, chassis code AU12-1-C, across the 2012-2020 production run. It is the cancellation-kit variant specifically for cars fitted with electronic damping from the factory, and it is matched to the multi-link rear axle – confirm your A3 has that rear axle, typically found on the quattro and higher-output variants, before ordering, since torsion-beam 8V cars need a different kit.

What buyers also search for

• Audi A3 Sportback 8V tarmac rally coilover kit for sealed-stage events.
• Audi A3 8V electronic damping cancellation kit for passive coilover conversion.
• A3 Sportback multi-link rear coilover setup for rough-surface grip and traction.
• Audi A3 8V Φ50 strut coilovers for 2012-2020 stage and fast-road use.

Ride height, and the passive damping this cancellation kit sets in place of the OE electronics, are configured per corner – pick your Audi A3 Sportback 8V spec in the configurator below.