The Prius That Shook.. - VFAQ Prius Site

of VW Golf." At that time, there were about 20 different
types of suspensions available for the next-generation FF car.
After test-driving many cars, the group selected Peugeot 306
and Peugeot 406 as benchmark cars that provided a good
balance between comfort and maneuverability. Both of those
cars were equipped with Full Trailing Arm-Type suspension
on an anti-vibration sub-frame. However, since the structure
of the suspension system was larger than others, fuel tank
capacity and size would have to be significantly reduced to
make room for it.
A very different suspension utilizing a Torsion Beam
was used in the Golf While this suspension excelled in terms
of maneuverability, the horizontal strength of the arm
needed to be reinforced by stiffening the [rubber] bushing
used to secure the arm. When that was done, the ride
became rougher and riding comfort had to be sacrificed.
This type of suspension was often used in European cars and
contributed to the general notion that European cars had a
stiff ride. The group was torn between the two.
"Peugeot has far more comfortable ride, and the balance
between comfort and maneuverability is better."
"But, then we cannot meet the conditions set by the
packaging because we would have to sacrifice trunk
space. It would be more practical to improve the ride
comfort using the Torsion Beam."
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In the end, Vehicle Development Center II proposed