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IFR developing iPod-like interface for infinitely tweakable supercar suspension settings
Race cars and many sporty street cars have had (near) infinitely adjustable suspensions for a long time now, but not so many can be so tweaked from behind the steering wheel -- and none outside of an international racing series can use GPS to auto-configure themselves to best suit any upcoming corner. That's what Spanish boutique automaker IFR is developing for possible future inclusion in the company's radical re-imagining of Colin Chapman's classic Lotus Seven, called the Aspid, and also for licensing to other marques. Drivers would use a "dial similar to that of an iPod" to tweak suspension damping to manipulate handling and could also modify the engine's timing and other parameters to make it torquier for short circuits or more powerful to blast down long straights. It's all rather conceptual at this point and there's no word on when any of this will come to reality, but if and when it does it'll make Nissan's gadget-laden GT-R look rather pedestrian and should be enough to keep the most gadget-addled gearhead busy for... well, a few hours at least.[Via Autoblog]
Really, really tweak your ride: the Unidrive has arrived
Not content with simply creating bizarre, high-end sports cars, Spanish automaker IFR Automotive has unveiled a steering wheel-embedded computer that can electronically alter the way in which a car performs. Dubbed the Unidrive, the touchscreen-driven device (which appears to have been in development for some time) will provide instant access to tweaking the valve timing, rev limit, ride height, ABS, and a variety of other car-nerd trivialities that only a true grease-monkey could really understand. The in-car end of the system will interact directly with chassis and engine functions, even allowing for unique states that can be tuned to individual driver's tastes. Currently the technology is poised to be employed in the company's forthcoming £75,000 (about $150,000) Aspid car -- no word on if this will make it into your next Escort. [Warning: read link is a PDF, and in Spanish][Via The Register]
