So it has a hydraulic compression cushion at the top, a damper in the middle and a hydraulic rebound cushion at the bottom. To quote from Citroen directly:
So all this without an ECU or electro-valve in sight - and note they keep referring to this as the "Magic Carpet Ride" in an attempt to win over the Hydropneumatic / active diehards no doubt!Citroën has developed a new suspension system whose aim is to improve damping quality while maintaining the Citroën characteristics appreciated by Brand customers. Twenty patents have been filed as part of the development of this new suspension system. The principle of operation is simple. Whereas a conventional suspension system is made up of a damper, a spring and a mechanical stop, the Citroën system adds two hydraulic stops – one for rebound and one for compression – on either side.
In this way, the suspension functions in two steps, depending on input:
- With slight compression and rebound, the spring and damper control vertical movement together without applying the hydraulic stops. However, the presence of these stops increases the vehicle's freedom of movement, creating a ""flying carpet"" effect, as if the car were flying over bumps and dips in the road.
- In the event of greater compression and rebound, the spring and damper work together with the hydraulic compression or rebound stop, which gradually slow down the movement, thereby avoiding sudden jolts at the end of travel. Unlike a conventional mechanical stop, which absorbs and then partially restores energy, the hydraulic stop absorbs and dissipates this energy. As a result, there is no rebound.
Practical Demo
Another Explanation
There is also another system - but that seems to be available on DS Automobile ranges:
DS Active Scan Suspension
This doesn't seem to have anything too fancy about the suspension, but has a camera to scan the road ahead and then tell the suspension what to expect, making subtle adjustments.
This sounds almost akin to the revered 2CV suspension system of yesteryear...