Product Focus - Bodykits

This month P&S takes another look at some of the bodykits that are available to your customers in 2008

While elsewhere in this issue there may be plenty of talk about performance modifications, there is still plenty of scope out there for selling styling parts. With petrol prices soaring too, it may soon be the case that we see customers flocking once again to bodykits as a way of making their mark on their cars rather than squeezing every ounce of petrol hungry power out of them. Whether will ever see the crazy heights of bodykits we did a few years ago or not remains to be seen, but bodykit manufacturers clearly seem to be aiming to keep their styles less intrusive and more as an enhancement to the cars they sit on. P&S asked some of the major importers of bodykits in the UK to tell us what their latest offerings were, and this is what they had to tell us.

PROLEX

In Japan, TOMʼs body kits are a highly desired styling upgrade for the Lexus IS250, but these prestigious kits have, up until now, been almost impossible to obtain in the UK. Now Prolex-UK can supply these genuine TOMʼs ABS kit and can offer them pre-painted in Lexus body colours if required. The kits are suitable for the IS250 and the IS220d and retail at £1050.00 for a complete kit
comprising front bumper, side skirts and rear bumper. The kits can be pre-painted for just £350.00 extra, if required. Trade enquiries welcome. Prolex-UK are TOM's distributor for the UK and hold a full range of TOM's parts.
Contact: Prolex-UK, 0208 310 1707 or prolex-uk.com

JE DESIGN

The launch of the new Seat Ibiza has not yet taken place, yet German tuner JE Design has already developed a range of styling and tuning parts for the latest incarnation of Seat's popular hatchback, including a body styling kit that has been produced in ABS and that costs £765 for the front spoiler, side skirts and rear skirt. Further body styling parts are under development. JE Design have also just followed up their successful styling ranges for the VW Touareg and Audi Q7 with parts for the Porsche Cayenne Type 957. These parts include front spoiler, side skirts and rear skirts (with quad exhaust pipes, wheels and lowering springs also available) and retails from £3820 for the full bodykit. The kit can also be had with LED entry lights built into the side and rear skirts for an added touch of style. For more information on JE Design products contact Charles Campbell at their UK distributor, Superspeed.
Contact: Superspeed, 0131 337 1000 or superspeed-carstyling.co.uk

DO-LUCK

Sumo Power claim they too continue the philosophy of Do-luck Japan’s founder, Mr Ito. Do-Luck was born from an obsession with individual styling by Mr Ito as a hobby, a passion for cars which developed into producing products which we now know as Do-Luck, the English translation of which is ‘ my hobby ‘. Do-Luck products are renowned for their quality and elegance, whether for a body kit or a functional aftermarket tuning product. An example of this is the Do-Luck Aero Wivern bodykit range, each part carefully thought out with functionality in mind combined with strength in the materials used and finished in a way which can only be Do-Luck elegant yet extravagant style. There is also a complete range of handling and body strengthening equipment designed to improve you vehicles chassis dynamics, some of which have since been noticed by major manufacturers and can be seen in adopted variations on mass produced factory vehicles. The example shown is their Mitsubishi Evo bodykit that includes wider arches and more. Typical retail prices follow are; front blister fenders that will fit a standard bumper, £418, front bumper and FRP bonnet moulding, £444, rear blister fenders and door panels, £732 or the 3-piece complete kit at £1255. While not the cheapest parts available, the quality and kudos of Do_Luck products is a massive selling point. Sumo claim that many of these parts need to be ordered specifically from Japan, yet dealers should call them to discuss this and any trade prices.
Contact: Sumo Power, 0871 226 0171 or do-luck.co.uk

DAMD

In February 1984, Mr Masaaki Omodaka and key staff who had a passion for cars got together and established 'DAMD Works'.
'DAMD Works' then started production of custom parts for cars, pushing their passion for creating new and innovative designs to the limit of what was the norm at the time.
The company has grown from strength to strength with many prestigious awards and show winning designs under their belt, so much so that many manufacturers now offer DAMD products as dealer options in showrooms all over Japan. While they are well known for their Evo products, there is much more to DAMD. Pictured here are the bumper type kit for the Z33 Fairlady Z (350Z) as well as the spoiler type kit, and also their front bumper, side extensions and rear diffuser for the Mazda RX-7. To give an example of price, the spoiler type kit for the 350Z retails at £750 or £1000 in carbon fibre although the prices are exclusive of VAT and shipping. Generally all of these parts will need to be ordered from Japan, and can take at least 6 or 8 weeks to arrive but traders are advised to call to check as Sumo Power may well have the parts in stock.
Contact: Sumo Power, 0871 226 0171 or damd.co.uk

IBHERDESIGN

The Portugese bodykit manufacturer is gaining more and more notoriety in the world of bodykits thanks to a constant stream of fantastic new styles for a massive variety of cars. The latest Viruss bodykit for the Vauxhall Astra that includes full replacement bumpers and a pair of side skirts is a prime example of their bold style. Complete with all parts needed for fitting and mounting brackets already in place, they are delivered in a gel coat and include high quality mesh. For the Astra kit, the spoiler and grille are also available. They’ve also recently launched the Voltage bodykit for the Mk2 Peugeot 306 which comes with replacement bumpers and sideskirts and adds some pretty hard angles to the ageing hatchback. Lots of cars are covered by Ibherdesign from the Hyundai Coupe to the SEAT Leon so your customers are sure to find a kit that fits.
Contact: Red Hawk Styling, 0870 0802959 or redhawkstyling.co.uk

CARZONE

This isn’t particularly new from Carzone but worth pointing out again as it incorporates their new ‘Quick Fit’ system. The Renault Clio Stream full bodykit comes with front and rear bumper extensions and a pair of sideskirts, all supplied ready primed and with all necessary brackets and instructions. The beauty of the system is that kits can be fitted in under 6 hours which can be a very appealing prospect for customers who just can’t wait. The Stream kit is also extremely subtle, adding just enough to the exterior without taking anything away, which is quite a popular approach amongst many enthusiasts now. Carzone do have more radical kits as well mainly aimed at European marques so there are more traditionally wild styles available too.
Contact: Red Hawk Styling, 0870 0802959 or redhawkstyling.co.uk

STYLE-TEC

Style-Tec is a leading design house in the UK that brings together European design with world-class manufacturing, quality and ease of fitment. Previous kits have seen some great modern lines emphasise the shape of cars like the Mk1 Ford Focus and latest shape Renault Clio, but this time it’s the BMW E46 Compact that gets their attention. The kit comes with replacement front and rear bumpers along with a pair of sideskirts that compliment the car perfectly, especially with the stylish diffuser-style rear bumper. The latest shape SEAT Leon, Mk1 Clio and Corsa B are just some of the other cars that Style-Tec can cater for.
Contact: Red Hawk Styling, 0870 0802959 or redhawkstyling.co.uk

LESTER

Eurostyling are Lester’s official importers and trade distributors for the U.K. Lester have been manufacturing body kits at their factory just outside Novara, Italy for over 35 years and are world famous for their style and flair.They use a variety of top quality materials in production, these include Polyurethane, Fibre Glass and High Density Plastics. Their massive range includes front lip spoilers, boot spoilers and full body kits for most popular cars. Recent examples of their range include the Mk6 Fiesta, latest Suzuki Swift and new Fiat 500. For more info, their full catalogue can be seen on their web site www.lester.it.
Contact: Eurostyling, 0844 880 1720 or eurostyling.com

ICC

PI are the official UK importer of ICC bodykits, bodystyling products and rear spoilers. The PI bodystyling range covers a wide variety of styling products from light covers and brows up to full front and rear bumpers. All the new kits are made from the highest quality toughened ABS to ensure a better fit and a better finish when painted, while the spoilers come ready primed and are made from polyurethane for durability and strength. The bodykit parts are all available separately so rather than the customer spending hundreds of pounds at once on the full kit they can buy it all separately as funds allow. PI’s bodystyling range further reiterates the PI stance ‘Helping your customer create a better looking car’.
Contact: PI, 08700 100 913 or p-i.co.uk

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