412 virtues

[lansdownplace]

Hi Peter. The 360 engine is a lot lighter than the 400 but the
reduction in power is compensated by the drop in weight. The engine
is set lower I believe but there a lot of additional steel in the
chassis. There are two large reinforcing plates under the driver and
passenger which sit on the polar moment of the car which also shift
the weight from above the roll axis to below it which reduces body
roll to a degree by reducing the roll center and concentrating mass
inside the wheelbase. The shift of weight towards the lower half of
the car and the fact that the 412 S1 (400 engine) weighs in at 1714
kg as opposed to 1783 for a 603 with the lighter 360 engine gives
some indication of the difference in total mass reduction.

As I am not an engineer so I can't explain further, I can only report
that my S2 is very well balanced, especially with the front shocks on
a hard setting and the rear set quite soft. Perhaps some other 412
drivers can elaborate?

Paul