PORSCHE TAKES A MORE ACTIVE APPROACH

BACK IN THE day, if you wanted a car with rock-solid cornering and limpet-like grip, the trade-off would be giving up any expectation of ride comfort.

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That doesn't matter on a race track, but even the most devoted enthusiasm can fade under the relentless, tooth loosening onslaught of rigid suspension.

Premium car makers have battled with this compromise quite successfully over the past couple of decades, using tech such as adaptive dampers, active anti-roll bars and air springs to get as close as possible to the ideal body control/ comfort compromise. One of the latest examples is the Porsche Active Ride system, announced early this year. The boast is that the system gives both the comfort of a saloon and the handling and agility of a sports car so how does that work? The basis of any suspension system is that springs are needed to keep the body of the car off the ground while allowing the wheels to ride bumps.