INTRODUCTION - FRONT SUSPENSION

1. Strut

2. Anti-roll bar

3. Connecting rod

4. Crossmember

5. Spring shock absorber assembly

6. Steering box

7. Wishbone

8. Reinforcement

Mc Pherson type independent wheel layout, with the shock absorber and the spring acting as both damping and flexible elements as well as structural and kinematic elements.

The main components of this structure are:

- Lighter two-part wishbones in pressed steel (with patented butterfly design) to reduce unsuspended masses.

- Suspension crossmember with high structural rigidity with transverse connecting band near the front mountings for the wishbones.

- Dual-path layout turret mountings for improved filtering of road vibrations at the same time guaranteeing excellent structural strength, favouring driving precision.

- Stiffened anti-roll bar to better control vehicle roll with connecting rods mounted on the shock absorbers, which allow improved stabilising efficiency and better dynamic responsiveness when cornering.

- New stiffened coil springs produced using side-load technology for improving the thrust axle in order to reduce tangential forces on the shock absorber stem and consequently internal friction (system hysteresis) with resulting improved absorption of slight uneveness of the road surface.

- Double-effect telescopic hydraulic shock absorbers with a stem diameter of 22mm on JTD versions and 20mm on 1.4 16v versions to achieve increased side rigidity and improve handling when cornering.

The rigidity of the body has also been improved, the upper fastening to the body has been re-designed to increase rigidity and the caster has been increased to improve driving precision and return, at the same time improving comfort.