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Adaptive damping system added to the new Ford Mondeo
Ford vehicle dynamics manager, Norbert Kessing
Ford has announced the availability of a new adaptive damping system for the latest generation Mondeo in Europe. Although Ford is calling it an active suspension system, what it has described clearly doesn't meet the definition of a system that senses the forces on the body and wheels, and actively moves them up and down to follow the road surface.
Nonetheless, systems like this have proven very effective at offering optimized ride and handling on different road surfaces and driving conditions. The adaptive damping lets the car get better handling without a harsh ride and at a much lower cost than a true active system. Ford is calling its system Interactive Vehicle Dynamic Control (IVDC) and it includes four accelerometers at the corners in addition to yaw, pitch and roll sensors to adjust the damping on the fly. The setup will run £650 (about $1,300) in Britain and all the details are pasted in after the jump.
[Source: Ford]
PRESS RELEASE
ALL-NEW FORD MONDEO DEBUTS ACTIVE SUSPENSION
BRENTWOOD, Essex, 28 August, 2007 – Ford engineers have made a major breakthrough with the launch of an active suspension system on the new Ford Mondeo that not only provides a comfortable ride but combines this with sportiness and safety.
Called Interactive Vehicle Dynamic Control (IVDC), the system offers sports, comfort and regular suspension settings and effectively eliminates the trade off engineers have to make between ride and handling with conventional suspension set ups. Once selected, the settings determine how the suspension reacts, providing rapid, imperceptible adjustments in line with the car's behaviour and prevailing road conditions.
Broadly, the firmer sports setting will optimise the car's responses on twisty B-roads while the comfort setting would be for a relaxing long distance motorway journey. Driver selection provides an extra element of sophistication to the new Mondeo, which is acknowledged as the best-handling car in its class.
Once the choice is made, the active suspension technology adjusts the car's dampers more than 10 times a second to provide the best possible handling characteristics, by matching the driver's selection with road conditions and the demands being made by the driver in terms of acceleration, braking, cornering speed etc. This provides more precise responses than the fixed settings of a conventional suspension system.
The responses of IVDC are based on inputs from seven sensors: one acting on each wheel and three others positioned to measure acceleration, pitch and roll. Information from the sensors is fed into a control unit that triggers electronic valves in the dampers, adjusting them at a rapid rate that matches the information being fed into the system. The system has been tuned to match precisely the specific weights and tracking of the new Mondeo.
Ford vehicle dynamics manager Norbert Kessing explains: "New Mondeo's ability to monitor its handling interactively with the driver improves safety and comfort. An active suspension system makes particular sense in larger cars like the new Mondeo. It enhances dynamic stability, particularly under critical driving conditions, and works with the car's other safety systems to reduce braking distances by up to 10 per cent on rough roads."
Safety first
The new Ford Mondeo already benefits from a high level of safety equipment as standard, including seven airbags, Anti-Lock Braking (ABS) and Electronic Stability Programme (ESP).
By being able to react within one tenth of a second the system can avoid the need for ESP to be activated. In more serious driving situations the system will operate together with ESP and ABS systems to help the driver retain control of the car.
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NORBERT KESSING, FORD VEHICLE DYNAMICS MANAGER |
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First job at Ford |
In 1995, in an area called vehicle dynamics method development producing a vehicle ride simulation tool |
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Favourite Ford project |
New Mondeo because the look and design of the car is mirrored in its driving characteristics |
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Favourite Ford vehicle |
I like Focus ST and S-MAX as well as new Mondeo. If I had to pick one, it would be S-MAX |
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ACTIVE SUSPENSION IN NEW FORD MONDEO |
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What is it? |
Near constant suspension adjustment to match desired ride with road conditions and driving style |
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How to get it |
Option on Zetec, Ghia, Titanium and Titanium X |
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What's the cost? |
£650 for IVDC option |
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
retsel 5:24PM (9/01/2007)
you have to be kidding me... this car might be better than a 3 series and it is a Ford... but it is not offered in the home of ford...
this should be a mercury mondeo... of ford bring this car here... NOW and sell it for $20,000.00 up...
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esoterica 5:45PM (9/01/2007)
Can we assume this is the same system as in the new Volvo S80 since the new Mondeo is on the same platform?
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J 5:55PM (9/01/2007)
Um, I wouldn't compare this to a 3 series since its FWD based. Theres a reason why this car is good. Europeans pay more for their cars...no way this car would be able to be profitable at $20,000 in USA.
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retsel 6:58PM (9/01/2007)
a $20,000 base model... and i would like to see an awd version of this vs a 325xi... and i want Jeremy Clarksson to do the test...
naggs 7:13PM (9/01/2007)
for a product this good, why is a $20k price mandatory? having never driven or even seen one i can only go on the euro buzz, but it seems like a car that can command a higher than 20k msrp
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retsel 7:33PM (9/01/2007)
true... but... it is a ford... and sadly this car "might" be as good as a Lexus GS but people might not want to pay $30,000 for it... IMHO
Za 10:27AM (9/02/2007)
Mercury Mondeo at 28k.
Jackhammer 10:06PM (9/01/2007)
I guess this is Europe's revenge for not getting the Dodge Challenger. (Or maybe they're still pissed at that "Freedom Fries" thing.)
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AZ 11:17PM (9/01/2007)
Awesome!!! Oh, wait, we don't have the sexy Fords here in America. F u, Ford.
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SPG 5:10AM (9/02/2007)
Experts have been saying that the Mondeo could save the Mercury or chroming division of Ford (already dropped in Canada) since the last Mondeo. It's not the Contour that the uninformed hated years ago and Mercury needs and deserves their own car.
Why not start with a true FoMoCo product that's also a really awesome car.
Hey it must be, they love it at TopGear!
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nagmashot 5:40AM (9/02/2007)
The Mondeo diesel basic model already beat the Mercedes C-Class diesel basic model in a German auto motor und sport car test in every possible way... only at the brake test the Mercedes was clearly better the rest was a destroying victory of Ford over Mercedes... in the summary the tester agreed that not a single word speaks for the Mercedes.. good job Ford guys ...
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TriShield 11:25AM (9/02/2007)
There is no saving Mercury and no point to Mercury. Selling this car as anything but a Ford would be a complete waste of an excellent car and opportunity.
In addition with the weakened dollar this car, the C-1 Focus, and Falcon wouldn't exactly be cheap either. Unless Ford retools US plants to build them, and they already tried that in the 1990s with the Focus and Contour (aka Mondeo).
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jim 11:28AM (9/02/2007)
"what it has described clearly doesn't meet the definition of a system that senses the forces on the body and wheels, and actively moves them up and down to follow the road surface."
Sam you idiot.
"the active suspension technology adjusts the car's dampers more than 10 times a second to provide the best possible handling characteristics"
"responses of IVDC are based on inputs from seven sensors: one acting on each wheel and three others positioned to measure acceleration, pitch and roll. Information from the sensors is fed into a control unit that triggers electronic valves in the dampers"
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Sam Abuelsamid 11:16PM (9/02/2007)
What you have quoted still does not meet the definition of an active suspension system. The sensors and electronic controls are not used to actively move the wheels. They are used to adjust the damping rates which is a very different thing.
Justin 12:51PM (9/04/2007)
Jim just got owned...or as autoblog is now fond of saying...pwnd
the marais 1:26PM (9/02/2007)
Maybe Ford needs to employ an "adaptive marketing" technology where its best products are available for purchase in North America.
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Ian W. 3:52PM (9/02/2007)
Why does the car pictured have Lamborghini Gallardo wheels?
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Ian W. 4:10PM (9/02/2007)
NVM they are Mondeo wheels, but they sure do look like Gallardo wheels.
adrian 4:24PM (9/02/2007)
@ J
In Britain, Ford seem to make ride and handling their priority, they have done this for years. Maybe it's because of the narrow twisting roads we have. Even though it's FWD believe me they can handle just as good as a BMW 3 series. I think Ford are mad not to bring this car and other European models to the US, Don't change anything not even the name just build and sell a left hand drive version in the US to the same spec and see what happens.
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ElDiablo 7:50AM (9/03/2007)
I love it, and so so funny when you compare the price tag to a basic BMW3. I know us crazy brits are buying more 3series than Mondeo's, and I never understand why, when you can get a top-spec Mondy for around the same mark as a bottom of the ladder 3. Its all about snobbery in the carpark. I'm happy though with my Mk3 - all the toys, bells and whistles for around £3k ($1500 for those across the water). Yes its done 100k miles, but **touch wood** its been pretty bulletproof.
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