Citroen seems to be on their way back to setting the benchmark on car comfort with a project that they’re calling Advanced Comfort Concept.
It’s a collection of technologies that have been fitted to a concept vehicle that looks, on the outside, to be a normal C4 Cactus. It acts as a test bed to further improve the system and also doubles up as a roving proof of concept.
The system uses “progressive hydraulic cushions” to augment the car’s current array of coil springs and shock absorbers. A pair of cushion are attached to the top and bottom of each suspension stress point (at the car’s four wheel corners), with each handling compression and rebound respectively. The altered structure of the car as a result of its new cushioning also means that it can be 20 percent more rigid.
Working in tandem, they dramatically dampen vertical travel and in a much more gradual way compared to the more common suspension solutions. Where previously the hydropneumatic system could only be fitted into Citroen’s largest and most expensive cars, they say that this system can be fitted to vehicles as small as city cars.
The Advanced Comfort Concept not only uses new additions to the suspension, at the lower quarter of a car, but also uses a new seat design that’s inspired by bedding and made from material similar to a mattress’ memory foam to further absorb judders.
French cars have always had a reputation for being the most comfortable in their class. They seem to prioritise comfort more than the other marques, investing in advancements in air suspension and hydropneumatics.
Citroen says that they plan to roll out iterations of this new comfort technology to cars across their range, regardless of the size or price. Where typically only luxury vehicle models at lofty price points had markedly better ride comfort, the French automaker wants to bring that quality to the masses – and that is a very good thing.
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