The IE engineering team embarked on an intensive project to design a suspension system that eliminates body roll, enhances grip, and minimizes understeer. They faced the challenge of achieving these performance improvements without compromising everyday driving comfort.
Their solution focused on a multi-faceted approach to suspension tuning:
- Stiffer springs: Increased spring rates reduce body roll during cornering and braking, but they needed to be carefully calibrated to maintain a comfortable ride quality.
- Thicker sway bars: Upgraded sway bars connect the left and right wheels of an axle, further reducing body roll by distributing weight transfer more evenly during cornering. The team would need to find a balance between reducing body roll and maintaining steering responsiveness.
- Stiffer end links: End links connect the sway bar to the car's chassis, and stiffer end links would improve the effectiveness of the sway bar by minimizing flex under load. However, they would also need to be designed to dampen road noise and vibrations.
Through extensive virtual and real-world testing, they fine-tuned every aspect of the system, including the spring rates, sway bar thickness, and end link stiffness, to ensure it delivered both functionality and driving enjoyment.
