FWD and IRS

[stanley sweet]

I was looking back at some old VL's and reread the article on the Flavia design. It said that after looking at different options Prof. Fessia settled on the rear beam axle as independent rear suspension on a FWD car is detrimental to the handling. As he was an engineer of some note, I take it that if this was true at the time then it must be true today. Does this mean modern FWD's with IRS are just a marketing 'keeping up with the Jones's' thing? Or is there more to it than that?

[neil-yaj396]

I would say that IRS has moved on since then, particularly helped by Lancia themselves in the design of the Beta's multi-link rear suspension, and it's many imitators.

[stanley sweet]

Makes sense. I wasn't sure if the concept applied just to the Flavia/Fulvia or was an absolute engineering rule, full stop.

[lancialulu]

Beam axles are still used to good effect in small FWD cars cf Fiesta and Corsa - the Fiesta being a chassis of note for many years. Yes the design has changed over the years but it is still a beam axle???

[frankxhv773t]

I once read that Ford's engineers wanted to put a Fulvia style beam axle on the XR3i, using the one from the Escort van. However the marketing people ruled it was out of the question.

[stanley sweet]

This is what crossed my mind originally. Would an engineer prefer a beam axle but the marketing dept wouldn't? Typical Lancia - this is the best solution and this is what you're getting.