The Rimac C_Two electric GT hypercar must be comfortable for long journeys but faster than most purpose-built racing cars on the track. The suspension has been key to achieving this balance, and after years of computer testing and physical trials the C_Two is now in its final stages of suspension fine-tuning. Miroslav Zrncevic, test and development driver at Rimac Automobili, takes you behind the scenes to show how the suspension is tested on a four-poster rig.
In partnership with KW Suspension, the C_Two’s dynamic behaviour has been calibrated on some of the world’s most demanding racetracks, all within the workshop. A four-poster rig is used to recreate the complete length of suspension travel, the full range of frequencies, and all different damper speeds experienced on any given road or race track.
The controllable suspension, supplied by KW and honed by Rimac Automobili, features electronically adjustable dampers and active ride height to deliver on the full range of requirements needed for an electric GT hypercar: rapid acceleration, focused handling, long-distance comfort and 550km of electric range.
The passive parts of the suspension and the C_Two’s chassis delivered near-perfect results during KW’s testing according to the Rimac team, but the tuning of the controllable components will allow engineers to achieve the final 1% of capability. The controllable suspension is so sensitive and fast to act that if sensors on the front axle (of seven total sensors) notice a high rate of acceleration, the rear suspension will react even before it feels the shock of that acceleration.
Klaus Wohlfarth, managing director of KW Suspension stated: “The suspension system in the C_Two is the most innovative product that we have at KW suspension, and it’s necessary to deliver the broad range of abilities that Mate [company founder, Mate Rimac] wants for the C_Two. We’re proud to say that this is the latest partnership between our two brands, and we’ve worked with Mate since the very beginning 10 years ago when we provided the suspension for his all-electric BMW track car that inspired him to start building his own electric hypercars.”
Following this latest test, the pre-series prototype will go through another round of physical on-track testing to ensure the behaviour can be recreated in the real world ahead of the start of the final production cars. The C_Two will be fully revealed in just a few months.
