125000446 - INTRODUCTION - PANELS AND FRAME

SPECIFICATIONS

The structure of the vehicle has been designed to respond to all situations in an optimum manner guaranteeing a high level of passive safety for the driver and passengers.The parts that protrude from the car''s exterior profile, with its flush-fitted windows, and the underbody have been designed with particular attention to lowering resistance of the air to the car''s progress and achieving an excellent drag coefficient (Cd = 0.348) and drag coefficient by area (Cd x S = 0.694).These features lower energy consumption and noise levels due to wind noise and turbulence.

SAFETY

The car body is designed to crumple in controlled fashion in the case of impact from the front, side or rear, or roll-over. It absorbs impact energy without affecting passenger compartment living space by creating a survival chamber that offers effective occupant protection in the case of an accident.

TORSIONAL AND FLEXURAL RIGIDITY

The body''s high torsional and flexural rigidity gives the car good qualities of passive strength while steering is made more precise due to correctly maintained suspension angles to generate a sensation of solidity and comfort while driving.

TORSIONAL RIGIDITY	DaNm / rad
Unadorned body + windscreen	109200
FLEXURAL RIGIDITY	DaNm / mm
Unadorned body + windscreen	770

These high rigidity levels bring many advantages:

lower vibrations;
lower noise;
increased resistance to failure caused by the use of the vehicle over particularly uneven roads;
the sensation of a compact car;
maintenance in time of the overall qualities of the vehicle.

In the case of operations to the bodyshell, if the structural reinforcements are distorted they must always be replaced.

RESISTANCE TO FRONTAL IMPACTS

The crumple zone body is fitted with strengthening reinforcements to make the survival chamber stronger.

The following main structural changes have been made to meet this requirement:

floor pan reinforcements;
footboard and dashboard box section reinforcements;
rail reinforcements;
strut reinforcements;
reinforcements on the dome connection beam;
pillar reinforcements;
suspension attachment reinforcements;
addition of bonnet retaining hooks;
addition of high strength facia beam in magnesium alloy

1 - Floor pan reinforcements;2 - Rail reinforcements;3 - Strut reinforcements;4 - Footboard and dashboard box section reinforcments;5 - Front pillar reinforcements;6 - Suspension attachment reinforcements;7 - Bonnet retaining hooks;8 - Facia beam;9 - Windscreen pillar reinforcements

RESISTANCE TO SIDE IMPACTS AND ROLL-OVER

To ensure a high safety level in the case of side impacts or roll-over, the reinforcements have been designed to limit survival chamber deformation.

The following main structural changes have been made to meet this requirement:

reinforcements on the windscreen pillars;
reinforcements in the central pillars;
reinforcements in the seat belt attachments;
reinforcements in the lock striker attachments;
beam joining central floor and front reinforcement;
beam joining central pillars beneath roof panel.

A further important element in resistance to side impacts consists of the doors which are described in the paragraph which follows.

1 - central pillar reinforcements;2 - reinforcements on the windscreen pillars;3 - reinforcements on the seat belt attachments;4 - reinforcements on the lock striker attachments;5 - beam joining central floor and front reinforcement;6 - beam joining pillars.

STRUCTURE OF THE ROOF

The roof structure stiffens the survival chamber assembly in the case of side impact or roll-over. The structure consists of the roof panel in addition to a central hoop, te central connetion hoop, bolted to the side pllars, and a box section hoop connecting the rear pillars.Sections of sealant are applied along the edges of the hoops in contact with the roof panel. These bond parts to confer good mechanical strength while also preventing vibrations and resonance.

1 - Roof panel2 - Front hoop3 - Pillar connection hoop4 - Rear hoop

STRUCTURE OF THE DOORS

The structure of the doors is of fundamental importance for the safety of the passengers in the case of side impacts and has therefore been designed with optimum geometry and rigidity to keep possible injury of the occupants to a minimum. The structure of the doors includes a side impact bar, waist reinforcement and front pillar reinforcement arranged to allow them to be opened after the most severe frontal and rear impacts. An expandible sealant strip is inserted between the side impact bar and the outer door trim while a heat-moulded sound-proofing panel is bonded to the inside of the trim to damp resonances.

1 - Interior waist reinforcement2 - Exterior waist reinforcement3 - Pillar reinforcement4 - Tubular side impact bar

RESISTANCE TO REAR IMPACTS

Side impact protection is ensured by rails and connection beams that are welded to the floor pan to create a very strong structure. This structure offers extra protection to the tank, which is secured beneath the floor pan. The rear box section trim and tail-gate ring is also a reinforced area.

1 - Left rail2 - Right rail3 - Connection beam4 - Connection beams5 - Rear box section trim6 - Rear floor pan

TYPICAL MEASUREMENTS

DIAGRAM FOR CHECKING UNDERBODY

This chapter contains typical body measurements that may be used by bodyshops to achieve the best results if repairs are necessary.The deformations suffered by the bodyshell as the result of a reasonably severe impact almost always cause alterations to the shape and the structure of the different parts of the bodyshell.It is possible to carry out a preliminary check to assess the extent of any deformation without removing the mechanical parts. To do this, use a check rod to take measurements at the points indicated in the following figure. Ensure that diagonals B-F / C-E or A -E / B-D are the same (with a tolerance of ± 2 mm).The check operation is completed by restoring the dimensions using the appropriate equipment. This procedure must always be carried out before the damaged panels are repaired and/or replaced.

Remember to check mechanical elements which could have suffered deformation.

TYPICAL UNDERBODY DIMENSIONS

The comparative dimensions shown in the following figure are expressed in millimetres with a tolerance of about ± 2 mm. Experienced repairers will be able to determine whether these differences are due to impact or the sum of manufacturing deviations.

A, RH front body primary referenceB1, Power unit inner front attachment, engine sideB2, Power unit outer front attachment, engine sideB3, Power unit rear attachment, engine sideD, Front crossmember bottom attachmentC1, Power unit inner front attachment, gearbox sideC2, Power unit outer front attachment, gearbox sideC3, Power unit rear attachment, gearbox sideE, Suspension crossmember front attachmentF1, Suspension crossmember right rear attachmentF2, Suspension crossmember left rear attachmentG, Suspension track control arm attachmentsH, Fuel tank attachmentI, Rear suspension crossmember attachment

WINDSCREEN COMPARTMENT DIMENSIONS

The comparative dimensions shown in the following figure are expressed in millimetres with a tolerance of about ± 2 mm.

MEASURING DOOR COMPARTMENT DIMENSIONS

The comparative dimensions shown in the following figure are expressed in millimetres with a tolerance of about ± 2 mm.

MEASURING TAIL-GATE COMPARTMENT DIMENSIONS

The comparative dimensions shown in the following figure are expressed in millimetres with a tolerance of about ± 2 mm.

ADJUSTMENT OF MOVEABLE PARTS

The following figures show gap values (expressed in millimetres) to facilitate moveable part refitting and adjustment operations.Adjustment methods are described in the sections containing the procedures for removing and refitting the moveable parts.MEASUREMENT POINTS ON THE VEHICLE

GAP VALUES

MEASUREMENT POINTS ON THE VEHICLE

GAP VALUES

PREVENTATIVE SAFETY

SOUND INSULATION

The vehicle is very quiet and the noise level at a speed of 120 km/hour in fifth gear is 70 decibels.Driving comfort (i.e. passenger compartment noise levels and roominess) has been improved mainly by insulating against road surface and mechanical noise by applying heat-expandible soundproofing materials and also taking special care over parts assembly and aerodynamics.The soundproofing materials used to lower noise level are mainly bituminous. Their role is to deaden the noise generated by mechancial vibrations from areas such as the underbody, door interior and external environment.The heat-expandible materials are synthetic rubbers or resins. Their function is to fill in boxed sections to eliminate sound propogation (wind noise). When the body is placed inside the paint-stoving ovens, these materials expand (up to ten times) and vulcanise so that they bond to the inner surfaces of panels with which they come into contact and fill the cavity.

A - Sound-insulating materialsB - Soundproofing materialsC - Sound-deadening materialsD - Heat expandible materialsD - Preformed synthetic blocks

The following measures have been taken to achieve an optimum level of sound insulation:

insertion of heat-expandible septa in the rails, windscreen and rear window pillars, central pillars and spoilers;
insertion of preformed synthetic blocks into central pillar body nodes to prevent vibrations being transmitted into the passenger compartment;
damping lining for panels through application of bituminous heat labile materials before painting;
sound-deadening linings for the front of the dashboard, the front and rear running boards, the load platform and side panels with pre-formed, composite panels;
sound-absorbent trim for the bonnet and roof;
use of double-faced seals in the cable ducting holes between engine bay and passenger compartment;
a thorough check of the sealants.

All the engines and mechanical components fitted to the car belong to a new generation engineered for improved acoustic/vibrational qualities.Good aerodynamics have been ensured by improving car shape and adjusting the profiles of components that impair acoustic comfort:

To maintain the high level of acoustic comfort reached, the vehicle must be restored to its factory configuration in in the case of repairs.

BODYSHELL PROTECTION

The bodyshell has been designed to be resistant for many years (8 years for perforation, 10 years for structural weakening) to any kind of environmental attacks as far as both the internal parts, which are not visible but potentially subject to corrosion, and the external parts, subject above all to damage which could adversely affect the appearance of the vehicle, are concerned.This result has been achieved by designing the structure of interior panels to limit exposure to corrosive infiltrations and making widespread use of galvanised panels.

Galvanising

On the vehicle 88% of the bodyshell consists of panels which have been galvanized, divided into 75% twin galvanized panels and 13% single galvanized. Both the outer parts and the moveable parts are made completely from double galvanized panels with the sole exception of the roof which is made from a panel which is not galvanized as it is not very subject to corrosion.Following the galvanizing treatment, the bodyshell is subjected to bonderization, a treatment which washes any grease or surface oxidation from the panels and to painting by cataphoresis, a treatment which is fundamental for protection and subsequent painting.All joints between bodyshell panels are sealed to prevent infiltrations of corrosive agents.

Abrasion-proof coatings and protections

Once sealants have been applied, abrasion-proof protections are added to body areas exposed to gravel chipping. This protection offers good properties of flexibility and adhesion and also makes a considerable contribution to noise damping. All opening and holes not involved in the fastening of mechanical parts are also closed. Both materials, sealants and anti-abrasives, are then dried in the oven.Areas afected by the application of sealants and vinyl protection

Painting

The aim of painting is to protect panels and maintain the car''s appearance (gloss and richness of colour)The car colour range includes two-coat pastel shades, metallic shades and 3 iridescent shades.

The type of colour for the vehicle and its characteristics are indicated on the identification plate which contains the following information:

product supplier;
enamel colour and type;
shade code;

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