Ferrari Mailing List: Re: Vintage Auto Journalism - Active Suspension Top Gear 1983 (NFC)

[Lashdeep Singh (lashdeep]

Hans, great info and insight.

I guess the concession was FX3 selective ride control?

That system works pretty well with some maintenance.


> On Feb 17, 2021, at 12:55, Hans E. Hansen <FList [at] hanshansen.org> wrote:
> 
> The active suspension was why GM bought Lotus back then.  They
> envisioned it being in all the higher end cars, Corvette first.  But
> it would also make for a Caddy that would ride like a pillow and still
> have good control.
> 
> The Corvette development program was so far along that some of the
> parts appeared in the parts catalog briefly - before being deleted in
> later editions.  It was supposed to be applied to the soon-to-be
> released 1990 ZR1. At least one of the 1989 ZR1 test mules was fitted.
> (Side note: GM temporarily loaned the 20 or so 1989 ZR1 test/press
> cars to a driving school I attended.  So I actually got to drive one.
> The active suspension car was not present.)
> 
> At a product event around that time, I asked one of the engineers why
> the project was cancelled.  He indicated that they couldn't overcome
> price and reliability hurdles.  The biggest issue was the high
> pressure valves, followed by the actuators themselves.  To make it
> work, they needed to use 3000psi components, which are off-the-shelf
> for aircraft and some industrial applications.  These valves needed to
> be very high speed, so they had to use the top of the line pieces.
> But they couldn't figure out how to produce them at a cost that was
> practical for road cars. Add to that were potential reliability
> issues, what with 3000psi lines running all around the car.  They
> didn't think any of the components would last the usual life span that
> Corvettes usually experience.  And owners would likely be reluctant to
> "refresh" the system every few years for the many $thousands$ it would
> take.  On aircraft, this stuff is check over regularly, as it was in
> Formula 1 cars of the time.  But what about a car subject to the usual
> abuses and deferred maintenance?  Plus potential warranty headaches.
> 
> What could have been....
> 
> Hans.
> 
>> On 2/16/21, Lashdeep Singh via Ferrari <ferrari [at] ferrarilist.com> wrote:
>> To the point made a few days ago about real auto journalism...
>> 
>> It is hard to believe that this appeared on a public TV station.
>> 
>> Just superb!
>> 
>> https://youtu.be/iPQ66fW9RAM
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