Race cars and many sporty street cars have had (near) infinitely adjustable suspensions for a long time now, but not so many can be so tweaked from behind the steering wheel -- and none outside of an international racing series can use GPS to auto-configure themselves to best suit any upcoming corner. Thats what Spanish boutique automaker IFR is developing for possible future inclusion in the companys radical re-imagining of Colin Chapmans classic Lotus Seven, called the Aspid, and also for licensing to other marques. Drivers would use a "dial similar to that of an iPod" to tweak suspension damping to manipulate handling and could also modify the engines timing and other parameters to make it torquier for short circuits or more powerful to blast down long straights. Its all rather conceptual at this point and theres no word on when any of this will come to reality, but if and when it does itll make Nissans gadget-laden GT-R look rather pedestrian and should be enough to keep the most gadget-addled gearhead busy for... well, a few hours at least.Wednesday, August 5, 2009
IFR developing iPod-like interface for infinitely tweakable supercar suspension settings
Race cars and many sporty street cars have had (near) infinitely adjustable suspensions for a long time now, but not so many can be so tweaked from behind the steering wheel -- and none outside of an international racing series can use GPS to auto-configure themselves to best suit any upcoming corner. Thats what Spanish boutique automaker IFR is developing for possible future inclusion in the companys radical re-imagining of Colin Chapmans classic Lotus Seven, called the Aspid, and also for licensing to other marques. Drivers would use a "dial similar to that of an iPod" to tweak suspension damping to manipulate handling and could also modify the engines timing and other parameters to make it torquier for short circuits or more powerful to blast down long straights. Its all rather conceptual at this point and theres no word on when any of this will come to reality, but if and when it does itll make Nissans gadget-laden GT-R look rather pedestrian and should be enough to keep the most gadget-addled gearhead busy for... well, a few hours at least.