Overhang
The front and rear overhang of the car body is the distance from the wheel centreline to the furthest point on the front and rear of the car.
The body overhang belongs to the standardized data about the vehicle, among the so-called basic vehicle dimensions, which are determined by the international standard ISO 612 from 1978.
Definition:
| Front overhang ‘C’ is the distance between the vertical plane passing through the centres of the front wheels and the outermost point on the front part of the bodywork. | Rear body overhang ‘D’ is the distance between the vertical plane passing through the centres of the rearmost wheels and the rearmost point on the rear of the vehicle. |
For both front and rear overhang, it includes all parts attached to the vehicle, i.e. e.g. bumpers, number plate, suspension devices …
Overhang and its effect on handling:
The size of the front and rear overhangs obviously influences the off-road characteristics of the vehicle, especially the size of the approach angle. The shorter the overhang, the better the vehicle’s off-road performance. Wheels positioned as far as possible at the corners of the body also help the vehicle’s stable handling characteristics. Wheels positioned in this way allow for the widest wheel track and therefore the greatest stability, as well as the longest wheelbase or greater ride comfort.
Conversely, the large rear overhang may suggest a large and spacious boot. However, on the other hand, such a fully loaded trunk located far behind the rear axle promotes oversteer.
