Research into stability at high speed shows that rear suspension characteristics play an important role in vehicle control and stability. An aim of this paper is to improve the cornering limit steering performance and traction of front-wheel-drive vehicles, where the front wheels bear a large proportion of the load and transmit the driving force. Another aim is to maintain vehicle stability when decelerating while cornering. Rear suspension characteristics are needed that will fully draw out the cornering force capacity of the rear tires. This requirement continues to grow every year, along with demands for higher levels of comfort in passenger cars, including improved ride quality and quietness. It was against improved ride quality and quietness. It was against this background that the new multi-link beam rear suspension was developed. The suspension was installed in the new Maxima and Sentra models. The paper describes the aims, construction, characteristics and effects of the new suspension, with focus on vehicle control and stability.
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