JAC Hunter PHEV adopts Australian chassis tuning for global markets

JAC Motors has announced that the Australian-developed chassis and suspension tuning for the Hunter PHEV dual-cab ute will be implemented globally. The tuning, which includes adjustments to steering response, body control, and ride stability, will be applied to vehicles in New Zealand and various Southeast Asian markets.

The development program, referred to by JAC as ‘Project No Shortcuts’, was led by Australian engineer Michael Barber, formerly of Holden Special Vehicles and currently with Multimatic. The multimillion-dollar project involved over 50,000km of local testing and validation, including extensive work on damper rebuilds, spring rates, anti-roll bars, and bushings to suit diverse road conditions.

According to Ahmed Mahmoud, Managing Director of JAC Motors Australia, the company implemented all of Barber’s recommendations without deferring any changes to future updates. The goal of the tuning is to provide a more natural steering feel and improved high-speed stability compared to standard configurations.