An apparatus and methods are provided for a portal spindle assembly for a vehicle front suspension. The portal spindle assembly comprises a spindle portion that is rotatably coupled with upper and lower connecting arms. A leading-edge portion is rotatably coupled with a steering rod-end joint, such that moving the steering rod-end joint rotates the spindle assembly with respect to the upper and lower connecting arms. An inboard case and an outboard case support a pinion gear assembly that is meshed with an output gear assembly for communicating torque from a constant velocity joint to a front wheel coupled to the output gear assembly. The pinion gear assembly is aligned along a pinion axis disposed at an angle with respect to a hub axis of the output gear assembly. The angle facilitates a suspension geometry that provides a camber change of the front wheel that eliminates a change in track width.

Embodiments relate to an off-road vehicle comprising a frame, including at least one cargo box support member, a suspension movably coupled to the frame, a passenger compartment, an engine, a transmission operatively coupled to the engine, and a cargo box. The cargo box includes a floor and a plurality of upwardly extending sidewalls, wherein at least a portion of the cargo box floor extends over the at least one cargo box support member and wherein the cargo box is removably coupled to the at least one cargo box support members and is removable from the off-road vehicle via the removal of fewer than eight fasteners.

A retractable wheel and/or track drive assembly for an amphibian comprising an actuator, a retraction linkage assembly movable between a protracted position and a retracted position, a suspension assembly at least partially connected to the retraction linkage assembly and movable between a protracted position and a retracted position, and at least one wheel and/or track drive, wherein when the retraction linkage assembly and the suspension assembly are protracted then the retraction linkage and/or suspension assembly supports and/or holds at least one wheel and/or track drive in a ground engaging position for use on land.

A retractable wheel and/or track drive assembly for an amphibian comprising an actuator, a retraction linkage assembly movable between a protracted position and a retracted position, a suspension assembly at least partially connected to the retraction linkage assembly and movable between a protracted position and a retracted position, and at least one wheel and/or track drive, wherein when the retraction linkage assembly and the suspension assembly are protracted then the retraction linkage and/or suspension assembly supports and/or holds at least one wheel and/or track drive in a ground engaging position for use on land.

An off-road vehicle includes a frame, a front suspension, and a rear suspension. In some examples of the off-road vehicle, the rear suspension includes trailing arms with are pivotally attached to the frame rearward of an operator area. Further, the frame can include a front subframe assembly and a rear subframe assembly which are easily removable from the main frame of the vehicle to permit access to various components of the off-road vehicle.

A car having: a frame; two rear drive wheels; two rear suspensions, which support the two rear wheels; a drivetrain having two axle shafts, which transmit the motion to the rear drive wheels; a rear subframe, which is fixed to the frame in four fixing points through the interposition of elastic isolating elements, directly supports at least part of the drivetrain, and provides a coupling for the rear suspensions. The four fixing points are substantially arranged at the same vertical height. The frame has two “C”-shaped elements, each having its two ends in the area of two fixing points. Two stiffening beams are provided, each arranged longitudinally and screwed to the frame in the area of the ends of a corresponding “C”-shaped element.

A car having: a frame; two rear drive wheels; two rear suspensions, which support the two rear wheels; a drivetrain having two axle shafts, which transmit the motion to the rear drive wheels; a rear subframe, which is fixed to the frame in four fixing points through the interposition of elastic isolating elements, directly supports at least part of the drivetrain, and provides a coupling for the rear suspensions. The four fixing points are substantially arranged at the same vertical height. The frame has two “C”-shaped elements, each having its two ends in the area of two fixing points. Two stiffening beams are provided, each arranged longitudinally and screwed to the frame in the area of the ends of a corresponding “C”-shaped element.

A suspension upright assembly for a vehicle provides a wheel hub bearing and a suspension upright including a fiber-reinforced composite bushing arranged around the wheel hub bearing, attachment members for attaching the suspension upright to a suspension assembly and to a brake caliper of the vehicle, and a fiber-reinforced composite truss-structure that connects at least one of the attachment members to the bushing and/or to a further one of the attachment members.

A suspension upright assembly for a vehicle provides a wheel hub bearing and a suspension upright including a fiber-reinforced composite bushing arranged around the wheel hub bearing, attachment members for attaching the suspension upright to a suspension assembly and to a brake caliper of the vehicle, and a fiber-reinforced composite truss-structure that connects at least one of the attachment members to the bushing and/or to a further one of the attachment members.

Vehicle platforms, and systems, subsystems, and components thereof are described. A self-contained vehicle platform or chassis incorporating substantially all of the functional systems, subsystems and components (e.g., mechanical, electrical, structural, etc.) necessary for an operative vehicle. Functional components may include at least energy storage/conversion, propulsion, suspension and wheels, steering, crash protection, and braking systems. Functional components are standardized such that vehicle platforms may be interconnected with a variety of vehicle body designs (also referred to in the art as “top hats”) with minimal or no modification to the functional linkages (e.g., mechanical, structural, electrical, etc.) therebetween. Configurations of functional components are incorporated within the vehicle platform such that there is minimal or no physical overlap between the functional components and the area defined by the vehicle body. Specific functional components of such vehicle platforms, and the relative placement of the various functional components, to allow for implementation of a self-contained vehicle platform are also provided.