The Integral Bushing Rear Suspension Architecture of the New Lincoln Corsair

Abstract

The Lincoln Corsair is a compact premium crossover vehicle on Ford's global C (compact class) platform, replacing the Lincoln MKC. The prime focus of the research and development workstreams of the integral bushing rear suspension architecture for the new Lincoln Corsair was to significantly improve the performance in terms of impact harshness as well as noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) behavior compared to the Lincoln MKC featuring a control blade rear suspension architecture. The new integral bushing rear suspension architecture is an evolution of the integral link rear suspension architecture developed for Ford's global CD (midsize class) platform. Compared to the integral link rear suspension architecture the integral bushing rear suspension architecture is significantly lighter and the cost structure could be improved without compromising the performance level of the integral link rear suspension architecture. With regards to the interior noise attribute the performance level could be significantly improved. The integral bushing rear suspension architecture development included benchmarking activities, definition of attributes and targets, suspension concept design as well as system evaluation and selection. The concept development work was conducted with special attention to key requirements implied by a compact premium crossover product like the Lincoln Corsair as well as design constraints introduced by the platform and the sister product Ford Kuga deploying a control blade rear suspension architecture. This paper focuses on the design aspects and the fundamental layout principles of the integral bushing rear suspension architecture by presenting the journey starting from the integral bushing rear suspension prototype development towards the final series production design of the premium rear suspension architecture of the new Lincoln Corsair.