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Koenigsegg Triplex: One of the Most Innovative Suspension Designs of All Time

In the world of stunning hypercars, Koenigsegg is a relatively new entry. The Swedish company was founded in 1994 and unveiled its first production car, the CC8S, in 2002. Since then, it has become one of the industry's leading innovators, and one of its most interesting creations is the Triplex suspension system.
Koenigsegg Triplex Suspension System 10 photos
Photo: Koenigsegg Automotive AB
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Since the unveiling of the CC8S at the Paris Motor Show 21 years ago, the automaker has continued to amaze us with ultra-exclusive high-performance hypercars like the CCX or the Agera. The latter evolved into the Agera RS, which in 2017 became the world's fastest production car in 2017 achieving a two-way average top speed of 278 mph (447 kph).

The story goes that during the car's early prototype phase, engineers led by CEO Christian von Koenigsegg noticed that the Agera was producing a worrying amount of squat. This meant that the rear end tended to tilt downwards under heavy acceleration, lifting the front end, which resulted in less grip from the front wheels.

To fix this problem, they invented the Triplex suspension, a pioneering in-house developed system that adds a third shock absorber to the rear axle. It connects to the chrome-moly steel control arms at both ends and counteracts squatting without compromising the suspension geometry.

Koenigsegg Triplex System on the Agera RS
Photo: Koenigsegg Automotive AB
While this system is designed to stiffen the suspension under hard acceleration, it's safe to assume that its downside is reduced comfort at lower speeds, especially when going over small bumps.

Of course, the engineering team has thought about this too, and the reason comfort is not compromised has to do with the way this extra shock absorber interacts with the Z-shaped anti-roll bar, another Koenigsegg innovation.

Made up of three interlinked rods, this component helps reduce body roll during high-speed cornering but increases overall rigidity when driving straight on a bumpy road, which can be felt inside the cabin.

The Triplex damper is designed to counteract the forces generated by the anti-roll bar in the above situation, resulting in a smoother ride. Combined with the active shock absorbers developed by Ohlins specifically for Koenigsegg, the Agera RS and its newer variants are able to offer a surprisingly comfortable ride under normal driving conditions without compromising suspension efficiency at high speeds.

The last iteration of the Agera, called Final Edition, was produced between 2016 and 2018 in just two outrageous units called Thor and Vader. This did not spell the end for the Triplex system, however, which was carried over to the Regera plug-in hybrid introduced in 2016. A thoroughly revised variant also found its way into the Agera's direct successor, the Jesko.

Koenigsegg Jesko
Photo: Koenigsegg Automotive AB
In what is likely to be Koenigsegg's last non-electrified hypercar, the innovative system is used on both the rear and front axles. It uses brand-new, bespoke Ohlins shock absorbers, and for the first time, each Triplex assembly features an adjustable spring. With this improved design, rear squatting, front axle pitch and forces generated by the anti-roll bar are neutralized even more efficiently. As a result, the Jesko benefits from probably the most complex and effective suspension system currently available for a production vehicle.

Built primarily as a track weapon, this model is also available in an ever-faster, yet daily-driver friendly version called Absolut. Here, the Triplex is only used on the rear axle so that the removable roof can be stored under the front panel.

While other hypercar manufacturers are happy to compromise comfort in normal driving situations to achieve superior performance on the track, Koenigsegg offers the best of both worlds with this amazing system. It's an outstanding piece of engineering that solidifies the company's place among the leading pioneers in the automotive industry.
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About the author: Vlad Radu
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Vlad's first car was custom coach built: an exotic he made out of wood, cardboard and a borrowed steering wheel at the age of five. Combining his previous experience in writing and car dealership years, his articles focus in depth on special cars of past and present times.
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