14:33 17-01-2026

Porsche patents leaf spring suspension for sports cars

Porsche is once again showing its willingness to explore engineering solutions where most automakers have long drawn the line. The company's recent patents reveal an interest in leaf spring suspension—a technology considered a relic of the past in the sports car segment.

Key Aspect

Several Porsche patents describe using leaf springs instead of traditional coil springs. The main goal is to reduce the overall height of suspension components and achieve a more compact layout. In one solution, the electric motor and transmission are placed directly in the wheel along with the brakes, while the leaf spring acts as a component replacing part of the lower suspension arm. This allows for shorter struts and changes to the front suspension geometry without sacrificing the independent design.

Technical and Market Details

Unlike coil springs, leaf springs take up minimal vertical space, which opens up additional possibilities for design, aerodynamics, and even pedestrian safety. The patents also describe a two-part leaf spring construction with a bushing system, where the inner part provides the main elastic function and the outer part handles wheel travel. A third solution involves adjusting stiffness and ground clearance using an electric or hydraulic actuator, potentially eliminating the need for complex air suspension systems.

While leaf springs are mainly associated with pickups and UAZ vehicles today, history shows examples of their successful use in sports cars. The most famous is the Chevrolet Corvette, which used a transverse leaf spring up to the C7 generation.

Porsche has also taken unconventional paths before, employing torsion bars and original kinematic solutions like the Weissach rear axle. If the leaf spring design actually makes it to production models, it could reshape perceptions of suspension layout in the era of electrification.