French manufacturer Citroen has lifted the lid on its exciting new ‘magic carpet’ suspension system called Citroen Advanced Comfort, which will debut on the C4 Picasso in September this year.
Citroen, a marque already synonymous with supple ride quality, announced that by 2017, a combination of 30 new patents will help see new levels of comfort for all models in the showroom. For now it is showcasing the Citroen Advanced Comfort technology on a special prototype C4 Cactus.
The project’s most significant highlight is a change from relying solely on traditional shock and spring systems, adding hydraulic cushions that manage the compression and rebound. The new system uses hydraulics at both ends of the compression range, allowing the suspension to function in two ways depending on the conditions. Citroen explains:
“In cases of slight compression and rebound, the springs and shock absorbers work together to control vertical movement without needing the hydraulic cushions. In cases of more significant compression and rebound, the springs and shock absorbers work together with the hydraulic cushions at the ends of the suspension travel. These new cushions gradually slow the movement, rather than having abrupt stops at the extremes of compression and rebound.”
Citroen says this new system makes the car feel like it’s riding on “magic carpet”. In addition to this radical new design, there’s also new chassis bonding technologies which have helped increase structural rigidity by 20 per cent, while reducing vibrations in the interior of the car.
In a less scientific measure to increase comfort, Citroen has experimented with several types of foam, including memory foam that moulds to the shape of an individual’s derriere. Expect to see these new technologies available in all Citroen road cars by 2017.
