Bilstein Shocks, The Original Before Any Copy The first gas-pressure monotube shocks were created by Henry Bilstein in 1954 and continue to lead in quality and performance today. Its main advantage was that the oil was under pressure and thus foaming was inhibited as the temperature and load increased. The first brand to mount Bilstein shock absorbers was Mercedes-Benz but already in the 60s they became the reference shock absorbers in Formula 1 used by brands such as Porsche and McLaren. Through the 1990s Bilstein Develops the Successful Original Equipment Supplier to the World's Leading Vehicle Manufacturers, we know exactly what you expect: uncompromising quality. This expectation is met by our BILSTEIN B3 line of OE Replacement Coil Springs.