BMW has decided to get rid of the good old MacPherson strut front suspension in favor of less reliable but much more comfortable double wishbone suspension. The new design will be first employed on the new BMW X5 SUV and will later come to the rest of BMW's model range.BMW has made this decision because it really wants to make the upcoming BMW X5 E70 a seven-seater but the SUV itself lacks the room to put the third row of chairs. To get some additional space, BMW's engineers decided to throw away the spare tire and put the vehicle on run-flats. The problem is that the run-flat tires are known for their harsher ride, which could not be balanced with the MacPherson. So, there came double wishbone aka control arm suspension.
The new suspension has its own disadvantages, such as higher center of gravity, so the company plans to make the upper arm of from cast aluminum and the lower arm of heavy cast iron, since the X5, set to compete against the latest Mercedes-Benz M-Class and Audi Q7 is a pretty heavy piece of gadgetry. Double wishbones for other Bimmers will certainly be made of aluminum alone, Inside Line is reporting.
See also: 2007 Infiniti QX56 gets the priceTechnorati tags: BMW, X5, E70, double wishbone, MacPherson, SUV, control arm, suspension
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1 comment:
1. "less reliable but much more comfortable double wishbone suspension." - There is nothing unreliable about double wishbones. look at Honda's extensive use of them and you'll see reliability. Also, look at their use in racing.
2. "The new suspension has its own disadvantages, such as higher center of gravity..." - Wrong again. The disadvantages of wishbones are the space they require, their cost and complexity. The Carrera GT, the Koenigsegg or other double-wishboned super cars have center of gravity problems.
3. "So, there came double wishbone aka control arm suspension." - Most forms of suspension of control arms. Double wishbones are also called "Double A Arm" suspension.
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