Technical Analysis: WRC Cars 2016

[Lundefaret]

The modern WRC regulations stipulates that the cars are very similar. But still there are differences, that make for different characteristics, pros and cons.

I thought we could have a thread where we collect the information we have on the 2016 factory WRC cars, including differences and similarities.

The more information we get on the set up of the different drivers, the better.
Lets see how much specific knowledge in this area there is on this forum

[Lundefaret]

Suspension:

Citroën:
The main things that is characteristic for the Citroën DS3 WRC is:
- That the dampers go in an almost straight angle (90 degrees) from the top mount to the top of the hub.
This means that there is as little friction as possible, but it will be a disadvantage regarding travel - especially on droop - if I understand this correctly.
- That there is adjustability in the suspension mounting points on the chassis. This is important to get low ride hight (or any change in ride hight), and still be able to change the geometry, allowing for eks adjustability in sideways roll. (Correct me if Im wrong).
- The DS3 set up is seen as a set up that prioritises tarmac, and is typically French.
- There is a belief that the dampers on the current DS3 WRC is to old fashion to be really competitive, but trust me: Ogier would be World Champion in this too.

Hyundai i20 WRC 2016
Hyundai has choses this typically French route, and has mounted the dampers in the same way as Citroën. To get the full benefit of this, You really should be a Nose End First driver, or You will fight with understeer.
Hyundai choosing this route when it comes to the suspension is maybe the most controversial part of the new design.

Ford Fiesta WRC
M-Sport has been in the fore front when it comes to suspension travel. The angular mounting of the dampers are a typical M-Sport signature, and is visible when the Fiesta (or earlier the Focus) was pictured with max droop, and the car looks like it has several metres of travel - tough the real number is some what more sober than that.
M-Sport has also been the ambassador of Reiger, by many seen as the pinnacle of privateer rally suspension (especially gravel/snow).

Volkswagen
Volkswagen is a "copy" of Ford, with angular mounting. The suspension movements on the Volkswagen has set a new standard in WRC. The long travel and excellent dampers is unbelievably good on gravel and snow, but it has also shown a great ability on tarmac.

[TWRC]

Suspension:

Citroën:
The main things that is characteristic for the Citroën DS3 WRC is:
- That the dampers go in an almost straight angle (90 degrees) from the top mount to the top of the hub.
This means that there is as little friction as possible, but it will be a disadvantage regarding travel - especially on droop - if I understand this correctly.
- That there is adjustability in the suspension mounting points on the chassis. This is important to get low ride hight (or any change in ride hight), and still be able to change the geometry, allowing for eks adjustability in sideways roll. (Correct me if Im wrong).
- The DS3 set up is seen as a set up that prioritises tarmac, and is typically French.
- There is a belief that the dampers on the current DS3 WRC is to old fashion to be really competitive, but trust me: Ogier would be World Champion in this too.

Hyundai i20 WRC 2016
Hyundai has choses this typically French route, and has mounted the dampers in the same way as Citroën. To get the full benefit of this, You really should be a Nose End First driver, or You will fight with understeer.
Hyundai choosing this route when it comes to the suspension is maybe the most controversial part of the new design.

Ford Fiesta WRC
M-Sport has been in the fore front when it comes to suspension travel. The angular mounting of the dampers are a typical M-Sport signature, and is visible when the Fiesta (or earlier the Focus) was pictured with max droop, and the car looks like it has several metres of travel - tough the real number is some what more sober than that.
M-Sport has also been the ambassador of Reiger, by many seen as the pinnacle of privateer rally suspension (especially gravel/snow).

Volkswagen
Volkswagen is a "copy" of Ford, with angular mounting. The suspension movements on the Volkswagen has set a new standard in WRC. The long travel and excellent dampers is unbelievably good on gravel and snow, but it has also shown a great ability on tarmac.

Regarding the DS3's dampers and suspension, the layout is basically the evolution of what the Xsara and C4 had, even the reservoir mountings in the wheelarches are pretty much the same. As far as the dampers go, they're basically the same as they started with in 2011, only minor, internal improvements were made AFAIK.

As to which is the best, in my mind there's no doubt it's VW's. On tarmac it's just unbelieveable, no matter what, the car is just glued to the road, enables super smooth driving, and the car seems very easy to drive.

[Mirek]

VW is not a copy of M-Sport. Volkswagen is further developed copy of Fabia S2000 which took a lot from the Reiger/M-Sport philosophy but presents some important changes. For example rear dampers are mounted opposite than on M-Sport cars. The reason is IMO to bring the damper mass towards the center of gravity.

M-Sport designs were always let's say less "centric" than for example French ones (for example spare wheel position on Focus WRC and early Fiesta S2000 makes center of gravity lower but in the same time it's bad solution for body inertia). Part of this goes also to the dampers. M-Sport uses rear dampers inclining backwards which means all their mass is behind the rear axle. I can not evaluate the suspension itself (how much better/worse it is to have the inclination backwards or frontwards) but for the body inertia it's for sure better to have the Škoda/VW option.

Polo WRC is a direct development of Fabia S2000, the suspension scheme is same. The biggest difference is the use of Sachs dampers which are fundamentally different (I think, or at least they appear so). A much more substantial change which Škoda uses on Fabia R5 may one day appear on Polo too if there is a positive experience.

What also stroke me (despite being observed only on R5 cars) is that Sachs setup (Fabia) uses a lot softer helper springs than Reiger one (Fiesta R5).

[Mirek]

The heavily inclined dampers are good for travel but they are not good for some other things. One is high inner friction as was mentioned, the other is that the high caster angle causes really big forces in steering which may lead to issues with reliability (and it has been indeed an issue of both M-Sport cars and early Fabia S2000).

[janvanvurpa]

Suspension:

Citroën:
The main things that is characteristic for the Citroën DS3 WRC is:
- That the dampers go in an almost straight angle (90 degrees) from the top mount to the top of the hub.
This means that there is as little friction as possible, but it will be a disadvantage regarding travel - especially on droop - if I understand this correctly.
- That there is adjustability in the suspension mounting points on the chassis. This is important to get low ride hight (or any change in ride hight), and still be able to change the geometry, allowing for eks adjustability in sideways roll. (Correct me if Im wrong).
- The DS3 set up is seen as a set up that prioritises tarmac, and is typically French.
- There is a belief that the dampers on the current DS3 WRC is to old fashion to be really competitive, but trust me: Ogier would be World Champion in this too.

Hyundai i20 WRC 2016
Hyundai has choses this typically French route, and has mounted the dampers in the same way as Citroën. To get the full benefit of this, You really should be a Nose End First driver, or You will fight with understeer.
Hyundai choosing this route when it comes to the suspension is maybe the most controversial part of the new design.

Ford Fiesta WRC
M-Sport has been in the fore front when it comes to suspension travel. The angular mounting of the dampers are a typical M-Sport signature, and is visible when the Fiesta (or earlier the Focus) was pictured with max droop, and the car looks like it has several metres of travel - tough the real number is some what more sober than that.
M-Sport has also been the ambassador of Reiger, by many seen as the pinnacle of privateer rally suspension (especially gravel/snow).

Volkswagen
Volkswagen is a "copy" of Ford, with angular mounting. The suspension movements on the Volkswagen has set a new standard in WRC. The long travel and excellent dampers is unbelievably good on gravel and snow, but it has also shown a great ability on tarmac.

Nååååå, pojken, ut me det. If you have numbers a little more accurate than “looks like meters" and "less than the others" by all means post it up.

And one thing certainly lacking since the rise of Social Media : PHOTOGRAPHS of the sort of thing you are referencing....
Post photographs...Compare and contrast visually is only way to begin to makes sense of any of this..

Tack ska du ha!

[AndyRAC]

The modern WRC regulations stipulates that the cars are very similar. But still there are differences, that make for different characteristics, pros and cons.

I thought we could have a thread where we collect the information we have on the 2016 factory WRC cars, including differences and similarities.

The more information we get on the set up of the different drivers, the better.
Lets see how much specific knowledge in this area there is on this forum

I have to be honest - because of the regs, I find the current WRCars probably the least interesting of current world motorsport machines.

[Mirek]

I wonder why? Because of the look, the used technologies or because of the appearance?

[Gregor-y]

Maybe the technology. If I recall some of the suspension points on my second generation Impreza are based on experience with the WRC.

[Mirek]

True that there's nothing groundbraking on today's WRC but it's hard to ballance with spectacle because the true development sacrifices spectacle for effectivity. The 2017 cars will be more advance but most likely quite boring cars to watch compared to the current ones. I personally prefer those we have now from what's going to come in 2017.