Taking the Plunge into what Slamming Your Car is all about

Slamming a car has been one of the most popular car modification options for a long time. Slamming a car simply means lowering the ride height of the car. The reasons behind these simple modifications are different, though. Many enthusiasts like to lower the ride height of their cars to make them more stable. It helps in improving the handling of the car and also gives more confidence in the corners. Some people also just like the sports car feel they get after lowering the height of the car.

However, there are both pros and cons of slamming the car like anything else. People should be aware of both these aspects before making a decision to slam their car. This is going to be a comprehensive article that covers the aspects of lowering your car and some examples too.

History of Slammed Cars

The culture of slammed cars is not new. It started in Japan, where drifters and some other enthusiasts started lowering the ride height of their cars. The drifters had a valid reason, as it helped them get better handling and control over the car on the tracks. It enhanced the drifting ability of the car. There were also some outlaw groups in Japan, like Bosozuku, who followed these cultures just for the sense of exclusivity.

The culture of slammed cars reached the western world in early 2000. Car enthusiasts in Europe and the United States started lowering the ride height of their cars for a lower and more aggressive stance. But the style evolved after reaching Europe and America, as it became more extreme in this part of the world. People started practices like stretching tires, camber adjustments, and exaggerated negative offsets to get an even more aggressive look to the car. However, the aspirations were the same here too. People wanted their cars to stand out from the crowd, and they also liked the improved handling that was the result of lowering the ride height.

Pros of Slammed Cars

The concept behind further lowering the ride height of the car through modifications started keeping in mind some key benefits behind it for sure. Take a look at some benefits of slamming a car:

• Aesthetics: Enthusiasts are always looking for ways to improve the aesthetics of their cars. Slamming the cars gives their car a sleek appearance and a more aggressive stance. It makes their car look more like a sports car. Sometimes people also modify the other aspects of the car along with lowering the ride height to give it a different look than other slammed cars.
• Improved handling: Lowering the ride height of a car helps the car lower the center of gravity and a lower center of gravity means a better handling car. It makes the car more stable around the corners. The body roll around the corners is more controlled, giving the driver more confidence while making turns at higher speeds around the corners. It also helps in achieving more grip and better stability out on the road.

• Increased performance: Another advantage of a slammed car is better performance. It helps the car achieve better acceleration and also helps in the braking performance of the car. It happens as lowering the height of the car reduces the wind resistance and drag. Thus, the car becomes quicker in terms of acceleration, and it also helps the car in stopping more efficiently.
• Standing out from the crowd: It is the sole purpose of many enthusiasts to lower the height of their cars. They want their car to look different from other cars out on the roads. It gives them a sense of exclusivity, and they feel a better connection with their cars as they have contributed to making them look different from others.

Cons of Slammed Cars

Similar to any other modification, slamming a car also does not come without any cons. There are some quite obvious drawbacks of lowering your car. You need to focus on these disadvantages before you make any decisions on performing such modifications on your car:

Reduced ride comfort: A lower center of gravity is a good thing for those who want better handling, but it is a curse for the ride comfort of the passengers in the car. Making adjustments to the suspension obviously affects its performance. Other than that, the suspension has to be stiff in most cases while lowering your car, as there can not be much movement in the suspension due to the lower height. It makes the car feel very uncomfortable around bumps or uneven roads.

Increased risk of damage: Lowering your car makes it more prone to damage while driving. As the car sits lower on the ground, it is more likely that you are going to scrape it from the bottom while going over bumps or some unexpected undulations. It can damage the suspension, wheels, or the body of your car if you are not careful.

Safety concerns: There are also many safety concerns that may arise after you reduce the height of a car. It limits the view for the driver as the car was not designed for driver's seating so lower to the ground. Extreme lowering of the car can also make the handling of the car unpredictable, which is a risky thing to do with your car for your safety and the safety of others on the road too.

Legal challenges: Many states have strict rules on the ride height of the car. There is a minimum ride height defined by some states. You can not lower your car more than that. It may create some legal challenges for you if you are not aware of the law related to this in your locality. Always make sure to check the local laws before lowering the height of your car.

Here is a list of five cars that look cool after lowering the ride height:

5. Daisuke Araki’s Nissan Skyline R33 GT-R

Daisuke Araki’s Nissan Skyline R33 GT-R is a perfect example of a great modification. The exterior to the interior and even the engine under the hood are all different from the stock car. The car has been modified to look more like the 400R.

The car also has been slammed to achieve a more aggressive stance which is a perfect example of a car of this type. The custom wheel will take the attention of car lovers for sure among the other modifications that are visible on the exterior.

Nissan Skyline R33 GT-R	Specs
Price	NA
Powertrain	RB26DETT Inline-6
Horsepower	495 hp
Torque	NA
Transmission	5 speed Manual Transmission
0-60 mph	NA
Top Speed	NA

Araki’s Nissan Skyline R33 GT-R sets a great example for those who are looking forward to modifying their car and lowering the stance of their car. The attention to detail will blow your mind. The engine is also modified to produce around a whopping 495 horsepower.

4. BMW E39

BMW E39 was discontinued in 2004 but it is still a great car for people who want to give a personal touch to an already great car. The slammed car in the example here belongs to an enthusiast in Ocean City, Maryland.

The owner has tastefully modified his car and it is hard to turn your head away when the car passes you. It is a beautiful-looking Bimmer that can be an inspiration for those who wish to modify their E39.

BMW E39	Specs
Price	NA
Powertrain	2.8-liter Inline-6
Horsepower	193 hp
Torque	206 lb-ft
Transmission	5-Speed Manual/5-Speed Automatic
0-60 mph	7 seconds
Top Speed	NA

There is no confirmed news if the engine of the car is also tuned to produce more horsepower. But you can refer to the specifications of the stock car as modification completely depends on your personal preference.

3. Honda Civic AWD Widebody

The Honda Civic AWD Widebody here is a vision shared by Jon Sibal in his social media post. He has taken the AWD variant of the 5th generation of the Civic. It also comes in widebody form. The beautifully designed car is an excellent example of a tastefully modified Honda Civic with an extremely low ride height.

You can also see the old-school wheel for the Civic which he also mentioned that he misses in new-age cars.

Honda Civic AWD Widebody	Specs
Price	NA
Powertrain	1.5L inline-4
Horsepower	NA
Torque	NA
Transmission	5-speed manual
0-60 mph	<6 seconds
Top Speed	NA

The specifications of this design is something that completely depends on how much modification you do with the car. The engine can be tuned to produce more power and torque figures.

2. Kazuki Ohashi Ferrari Testarossa

Japanese Ferrari fan Kazuki Ohashi has given the perfect treatment to his legendary Ferrari Testarossa. He has slammed the car to look even more aggressive and the front spoiler is always at risk of getting damaged. The car runs on 18-inch wheels on the front while the rear runs on 19-inch wheels.

He has also added a Prazis air suspension and an AccuAir e-level suspension control. The car remains stock mechanically as there is no point playing with the engine of this desirable car from the Italian manufacturer.

Honda S2000	Specs
Price	NA
Powertrain	4.9-liter naturally aspirated V12 engine
Horsepower	390 hp
Torque	361 lb-ft
Transmission	5-Speed Manual Transmission
0-60 mph	5.2 seconds
Top Speed	180 mph

Ferrari Testarossa used to come with a 4.9-liter naturally aspirated V12 engine which produces 390 horsepower and 361 lb-ft of torque. The power and torque figures might not be the best for today’s standards but the performance is not bad by any means. The 5.2 seconds time from 0 to 60 mph is not slow by any means.

1. Austin’s Lexus LS 400

Lexus LS 400 is a luxury family sedan and no one expects this car in the list. But Austin has done this surprising build where he has slammed his Lexus LS 400 along with other modifications.

The car sits very low to the ground which makes it look impractical to drive but Austin manages to make it work just fine. We are not sure about the model year or generation of the car but it is surely not from the newer models of the car.

Lexus LS 400	Specs
Price	NA
Powertrain	4L quad-cam V8
Horsepower	NA
Torque	NA
Transmission	4-speed automatic
0-60 mph	<5 seconds
Top Speed	NA

The Lexus LS 400 has evolved a lot since its launch in 1989. Since we are not sure about the model year or generation of the car we can not comment on the engine and other specifications of the car.

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