Experience the dynamic stability of the Asian Dragon in 9 extreme events

　　From the end of 2018 to the present, during the months-long warm-up process, we have witnessed many highlights in the design, craftsmanship, power, chassis and other aspects of the FAW Toyota Asian Dragon. Now, FAW Toyota has moved this model from the "static display" stage to the "dynamic test drive" stage.

　　A few days ago, at the Ningbo International Circuit, we took the Asian Dragon to the track and experienced its core strength under the TNGA architecture from nine extreme test events.

　　Before introducing the track performance of the Asian Dragon, let’s talk about the main highlights that TNGA gives this model. First, let’s take a look at the design of the Asian Dragon. Although design is more about appearance, it also plays a crucial role in the power performance of a car. The best combination of design and power is wind resistance.

　　According to the introduction, the drag coefficient of the Asian Dragon is 0.27, which is quite advantageous for a family car positioned in the B + category. And from the optimization of its appearance design, we can also clearly feel the aerodynamic characteristics of this model.

　　For example, there are "side air curtains" on both sides of its front face that are more conducive to air circulation, and the swooping waist line of the body and the triangular window designed at an acute angle all add a lot to its sense of speed. In addition, in order to reduce wind resistance and wind noise, the designer has raised parts on the rearview mirror and tail light of the Asian Dragon. The details are practical and exquisite.

　　In addition to creating a "sense of speed" in the design, the real test of the dynamic performance of the Asian Dragon is the engine, chassis, steering system, etc. hidden in the car.

　　During the course of the track test drive, in order to test the handling stability, acceleration, and comfort of the Asian Dragon, the organizers specially set up 9 extreme test drive projects: unequal distance pile winding, medium speed pile winding, high-speed corners, dual-lane lane change, acceleration-deceleration braking, bumpy road sections, quietness, electronic power steering, and lane deviation.

　　Among them, in the unequal distance pile winding link, based on the low center of gravity body design, coupled with the brisk and accurate pointing electronic steering system, the Asian Dragon can easily pass at a speed of less than 20km/h. In the medium speed pile winding link, also with the low center of gravity and a good front-to-rear counterweight ratio, the driver can drive the Asian Dragon at a speed of 40km/h through the obstacle pile bucket spaced 40 meters apart. At the same time, during the test, the vehicle steering is accurate, flexible, and the roll is small, so that the driving comfort and stability achieve the best balance.

　　As we all know, the faster the vehicle is driving, the greater the centrifugal force will be generated. With the blessing of the high-stiffness body, the Asian Dragon has good torsional stiffness, providing excellent and stable lateral support for the vehicle. When we drive the Asian Dragon at high speed, we can clearly feel the support force of the vehicle and the stability it brings to the vehicle.

　　In the acceleration-braking process, the high compression thermal efficiency of the TNGA engine of the Asian Dragon gasoline version is 40%, and the thermal efficiency advantage of the hybrid model is 41%. The vehicle not only starts and accelerates smoothly and quickly, but also has a very sensitive and precise braking response. In the emergency braking operation, the body leans forward very gently. Overall, the handling is stable and the ride is comfortable.

　　In addition, in the process of simulating the quietness of high-speed driving, when the vehicle is driving on long-distance straights at a speed of 100km/h, the comprehensive noise reduction design effect of the vehicle is very outstanding, and the fetal noise and wind noise in the car are small, and the mute effect is very good. According to reports, this is due to the low wind resistance of the Asian Dragon 0.27 body and various noise reduction measures taken in key parts: for example, the front engine cover is equipped with a sound absorber, the fender is equipped with a divider, the door area has a resin repair hole cover and sound insulation glass, the cabin frame beam has foam and shock absorption materials, the floor has a shock absorption coating, the floor has a muffler pad, etc. The completely flat chassis has a large area of cover, which also greatly optimizes the NVH of the cockpit.

　　In the last part of the track test drive, we came to the bumpy road surface, and the purpose of the organizer to set up this session is to test whether the suspension adjustment of the Asian Dragon meets the user’s comfort requirements. After the test drive, it was found that when the vehicle passes through the bumpy road at a speed of 30km/h, the AVS adaptive variable suspension equipped with the gasoline version of the Asian Dragon can perform real-time damping control for rough road sections. Each suspension can adjust the damping and rebound damping force to ensure the stability and high comfort of the vehicle when driving on bumpy road sections. The hybrid version of the Asian Dragon is equipped with a high-potential TNGA new rear suspension double fork arm structure, which can greatly reduce the impact and road input of the vehicle on bumpy road surfaces, and improve the fatigue resistance of the vehicle body.

　　Judging from the performance of this track test drive, with the support of the low center of gravity body design, the Asian Dragon has achieved a perfect balance of speed and stability. In addition, the high-sensitivity shock absorption system (AVS) equipped in some gasoline models makes the Asian Dragon’s driving comfort significantly better than that of its peers. At the same time, its excellent performance in steering, braking and chassis makes driving easier and full of pleasure.

　　As a B-class product based on TNGA, the Asian Dragon maintains the "Toyota" characteristics in handling, but also further upgrades in driving stability and comfort. In terms of its dynamic performance, FAW Toyota regards it as a "flagship" product, which may be reasonable. The competitiveness of the Asian Dragon in terms of driving quality may refresh users’ awareness of B-class cars. (Author: Feng Cool)