Citroën has developed an innovative new suspension technology as part of the Citroën Advanced Comfort programme.

The new C4 Picasso range, which goes on sale in Ireland from the 1 October, is the first model to benefit from selected elements of the programme. It is the brand’s intention to deliver its new technologies progressively over time on every model in the Citroën range, from the C1 city car through to larger models.

Citroën has filed more than thirty patents for the technologies implemented in this prototype, and they have all been developed to be applicable, from both a cost and production standpoint.Citroen has been demonstrating these advances in a prototype C4 Cactus known as the ‘Citroen Advanced Comfort Lab’.

Whereas a conventional suspension system is comprised of shock absorbers, springs and mechanical stops, Citroën's new system adds two progressive hydraulic cushions – one for rebound and one for compression – at the top and bottom of each suspension unit. In this way, the suspension functions in two ways depending on the road surface. Along with its progressive hydraulic cushions, they are also introducing new structural body bonding technology and clever new seat structures, a combination which is designed to significantly improve the vehicle's ability to filter out the bumps and dips in the road.