Are you looking for style changes for your car? Body parts are an easy way to stand out from the crowd and start turning heads. This provides visual appeal, and bespoke kits enhance performance and aerodynamics for a faster, more enjoyable car. The parts pair well with other external additions, such as revised aftermarket exhausts or alloy wheels.

Spoilers, splitters and side skirts are just a few body parts that can be supplied straight from the factory or as an aftermarket component. Each car body part serves a purpose, either to add visual appeal or increase performance by reducing drag and gluing the car to the road. While parts can be used on their own, most form part of car body kits, with several parts working in unison.

What Car Body Parts Bring to Your Ride

The good news for drivers is that regardless of what you drive, there are exterior car parts to liven up any car. As mentioned, they can already form part of the bodywork, such as on the Porsche 911 and Subie WRX STi, or be added later on. The parts are designed to enhance aesthetics, add a performance edge over similar makes and models and express your individuality.

Wider front bumpers and wheel flares give a meaner and more aggressive look, but also let you play with different suspension setups. or go with bigger alloys wrapped in low-profile tyres. Both additions increase stability and traction, allowing faster and more controlled turns. Front splitters disperse air over, under and to the sides of the car, reducing the effect of oncoming air for faster track times. And rear wings keep play at the rear axle to a minimum, improving safety and handling and building confidence at higher speeds.

These are just a few parts that can be installed on the front, side and rear. Other parts to consider are side skirts to prevent air from pooling under the car, rear spats sitting over the back wheels to complement side skirts, redesigned grilles to improve airflow over hot engine parts, diffusers to redirect air and tame lift and fins or blades (collectively called vortex generators) to reel in unwanted airflow or disperse air where needed, such as the brakes.

Besides the performance gains, you can choose any car body part in the style, material or finish that best suits the car or your customisation needs. Parts and kits chosen carefully, and installed by a professional can also increase the vehicle’s resale value when the time comes to sell. Lastly, buy car body parts from renowned brands and manufacturers to ensure you get the best quality.

Why Kits are the Way to Go

Kits are carefully selected parts with a specific aim. Lip kits consist of front splitters, side skirts and rear diffusers to tame ground effects, improve handling and steering feel and keep the car stable at any speed. Full aero kits go one step further and add wider bumpers and wheel flares, spats (fender skirts), and rear spoilers or wings to increase downforce, improve tyre traction and reduce lift. These provide a performance element when sourced in quality materials.

Bumper kits are more about aesthetics, with wider and lower front and rear aftermarket bumpers, often paired with lowering springs for a slammed look. Some will also have reworked grilles, in addition to fins and blades placed near components that get hot, so don’t completely cast aside the performance benefits of other kits.

Individual parts in kits are built to the specific dimensions of the car part they connect to, are manufactured to the same standard as other car body parts, and are supplied in the same finish for a more uniform look. They’re also cheaper to buy instead of going with separates.

Getting Body Parts in the Right Materials

Choosing the right materials means parts that endure scraping, scratches, dents or fading. And body parts that won’t warp, deform or crack at high-speed impact. This means differences in strength, flexibility, weight and overall price.

Fibreglass car parts have decent strength, are relatively easy to produce and repair, are cheap to buy, and do well with heat. They are also lightweight and paintable, so a good choice for multiple car categories. The downsides are brittleness, and that they’re easy to break or crack.

Polyurethane is the next step up, with parts being more durable but still flexible, so do better with common mishaps and won’t crack or break as easily as fibreglass variants. They are however heavier and can deform when exposed to higher temperatures. They’re also harder to paint and install. Go with ABS plastic car parts for more chemical and heat resistance, but with lower weight.

Or choose carbon fibre when only the best will do. The material comes as standard on high-end performance cars, has exceptional strength, is extremely light, and won’t degrade when faced with oil, chemicals or road debris. The rigidity and high strength also mean it can cope with higher stresses, such as high-speed cornering or hard braking. Most car owners also find it good-looking as is, so no need for finishing or painting. But, for all the positives prepare to shell out a good deal of cash, especially for full-body kits.

Final Thoughts

If you want a car that’s unlike anything else, then the wide selection of body parts can get you there. Parts are added to the front, back and sides, and are offered in varying finishes and styles. And they can add head-turning appeal and major performance benefits in a single package. Choose materials that fit your budget, and kits that meet your needs, and consider a professional installation for the best fit.