Vehicle suspension improves handling and maintains comfort

The suspension has been developed by vehicle dynamicists at MIRA over the past two years and builds on the existing double-wishbone suspension (DWS).

The DWS is most commonly seen in high-performance sports cars — including those made by Lamborghini and Aston Martin — thanks to its ability to provide a low bonnet line and improved handling. However, it has always struggled to achieve the comfort offered by softer suspensions, such as the MacPherson strut suspension.

Ian Willows, a MIRA consultant, told The Engineer: ‘The problem with the existing DWS is that there’s an inherent compromise with its design.’

He explained that there is a trade-off between the longitudinal compliance and the castor compliance of the suspension. The longitudinal compliance allows the wheel to be displaced rearwards if a force is applied in that direction. Meanwhile, the castor compliance relates to the rotational displacement of the steering axis when a braking force is applied.