Postby carfreak » August 24th, 2010, 9:33 am
The suspension for the McLaren MP4-12C breaks new ground, offering hitherto unseen levels of roll control and grip.
The car's extreme levels of dynamic handling performance would normally imply a rock-hard ride, but the 12C delivers compliance and ride comfort more akin to an executive saloon car. The mix of occupant cosseting and sporting potential is truly unique. The 12C offers the driver both class-leading ride comfort and class-leading performance.
The 12C is poised and balanced whether negotiating high or low speed corners, during direction changes, under heavy or light braking and on tightening or opening corners.
The suspension is based on double wishbones with coil springs. The dampers are interconnected hydraulically and provide adaptive responses depending on both road conditions and driver preference.
The system features adjustable roll control which replaces the mechanical anti-roll bars that have been a standard feature of road cars since time immemorial. It allows the car to maintain precise roll control under heavy cornering while decoupling the suspension in a straight line for excellent wheel articulation and compliance.
Another feature that helps the 12C to handle at a new level is a development of an electronic system used by McLaren’s 1997 MP4/12 Formula 1 car, – Brake-Steer. In essence it is a system that brakes the inside rear wheel when the car is entering a corner too quickly to make the desired radius.
