UK exclusive: the new Citroën suspension set to 'rediscover' comfort

Citroën has revealed the first details of a new suspension system that will replace hydropneumatic system 60 years from next year - and the company has enabled Autocar exclusive drive of the prototype C4 Cactus are equipped with it.

The system is very new, not yet have a name. It is eye-catching most of the suites include all the changes called Citroën Advanced Comfort, where the company is developing to improve what it sees as one of the traditional core values: comfort in the cabin and move.

The new suspension has been developed in-house and will be exclusive to Citroën in PSA Group "for the moment". It replaces the classic bump-stops in the unit coil-over suspension with conventional compact, secondary silencer carefully calibrated that Citroën engineers call a progressive hydraulic cushion. It offers better control of the limb suspension bump and droop, allowing the level of the suspension in the middle of the journey, where cars spend most of his time, to be notably more relaxed and give them what Citroën suspension experts call "a magic carpet ride".

In an exclusive briefing on the test site outside Paris, Citroën suspension development engineer Nicolas Berlinger told Autocar: "We set out to achieve the suspension characteristics as close as we could to the hydraulic suspension so many people have grown to love.

"However, we need a new system without the expense of a hydraulic barrier, which means we can apply it to all Citroën cars. We believe that we are close to achieving this. Our plan is to use the system in all models, from C1 to."

So far, the company has applied for 20 patents surrounding its discovery.

Despite the eye-catching, new suspension is only one component of the project Citroën Advanced Comfort. The company is also working to filter out external noise and vibration, particularly by increasing the rigidity of the car body 'by bonding them with glue between regular spot-welds. Citroën claims that this construction method resulted in a 20% increase in rigidity in the case of C4 Cactus.

In addition, Citroën revolutionized seat comfort by using the value of imaginative new foam to combine comfort "approach" (softness) Citroën chair classic with modern driver support needs.

Meanwhile, engineers continued progress being made with such modern Citroen C4 Cactus in simplifying the environment and the task of the driver with a unique blend of control-to-Citroën driver's simplicity and practical tools.

They also see it as a priority that people can maintain easy connectivity whenever they got into their car to drive.

Another way that explored is the refinement of the gear and the engine noise, tire tuning, the use of more sound-absorbent floor coverings and other isolation and experiment with the thickness of the glass, the sound dampener especially efficient.

Citroën engineers do not deny that there will be costs for many of these improvements, or that some of them (especially the body of a bond-welded for extra strength) will be distributed by the company Peugeot and DS cousin. But their obvious intent is to keep costs low to maintain Marques positioned as it is now.

ON THE ROAD WITH SUSPENSION CITROEN'S NEW

We felt the difference before we had driven half a city block. On the day we tried the new 'hydraulic cushion' suspension in his Citroën C4 Cactus prototype, the company insisted we take a standard car along for the ride - and drive it first.

In a short but challenging the narrow country road, agitated surfaces, rocky, tight turns and speed bumps outside the school, cactus standard was ready, riding flat and easy to drive. How realistic is it to expect a better performance from this, I wonder. This car has overcome most of peers prices to go up and repair.

The difference is huge. Anyone would realize it. The chairs felt quite different at first contact with my back: initially soft as the old DS, but on second thoughts are still with the under-thigh and side support needs of modern cars. As soon as we started moving, it was also apparent sensitivity of the surface of the car has been reduced by a large margin. It just glides along with a remarkable little noise or vibration. In addition, these restless surface - says Citroën is 'restless' - all but smooth going.

Its main ride put me in mind of a hydropneumatic Citroën C5 I was just driving - there are the same haughty tranquility and the absence of the field - except that the prototype is better because it has no difficulty C5 with high frequency bumps, hydropneumatic a weakness.

Better yet, the steering is accurate and nicely weighted it was still there. Often with a soft car suspended, precision drops away, but not this time. There is a kind of disconnect; My experience has previously said it was too good.

This is a prototype and it was not quite perfect. There are too many field if you arrive at school speed bump tick too fast. And despite rising rates relaxed memorable, we had the feeling they were futile so with perhaps 10%. When you stop suddenly, swaying like a Cadillac car from the 1950 Hollywood gangster movie. However, the car was very good. Better yet, it was packed full of promise.