INTRODUCTION - SUSPENSION AND WHEELS

One of the main aims of this vehicle has been to increase the general level of comfort compared with the previous model, but above all to improve handling and roadholding, guaranteeing standards reserved for vehicles in a higher segment with excellent handling qualities.

The technological solutions adopted to reach this goal can be summarized as follows:

- Increased track (front and rear) and adoption of larger tyres for improved driving stability.

- Front suspension geometry with new anti-roll bar, new spring and shock absorber unit to fit the new body, new oversized lower suspension arms with rectangular wishbone for improved insulation between the effect of braking and cornering loads, guaranteeing better balance in all driving conditions. Despite the wider track, re-designing the front geometry combined with the steering box travel has allowed the vehicle turning circle to be kept down.

- Semi-independent rear suspension with wheels interconnected by a torsion beam, achieved by the new stiffened anti-roll bar, with the aim of increasing structural rigidity and maintaining good suspension flexibility under load, achieved by a hardened rubber-metal bush connecting the rear axle to the body. Re-designing the suspension also involved the introduction of new springs, shock absorbers and pads to adapt to the stiffened body and improve dynamic response when cornering.

- Special care has been taken over the design of the components in terms of aspects relating to comfort, with technical solutions being adopted that are typical of vehicles in a higher category. For example, the use of a dual path front dome block mounting and the vertical positioning of the rear shock absorber; these operations have made it possible to contain the effect caused by vibrations produced from the road surface, without altering the structural rigidity to the detriment of improved driving precision.

- Shock absorbers with 22mm stem on the JTD versions, to increase the stability limit conditions when cornering, and 20mm stem on the 1.4 16v; stiffened reinforced pipe hollow bar, in order to achieve what has been described above and at the same time reduce weight.

- Increased structural rigidity of suspension front crossmember to produce better vibrational acoustic comfort and improve handling.