Editing Automobile handling (section)

==== Centre of mass height ====
The [[centre of mass]] height, also known as the centre of gravity height, or CGZ, relative to the track, determines [[load transfer]] (related to, but not exactly [[weight transfer]]) from side to side and causes body lean. When tires of a vehicle provide a [[centripetal force]] to pull it around a turn, the [[momentum]] of the vehicle actuates load transfer in a direction going from the vehicle's current position to a point on a path [[tangent]] to the vehicle's path. This load transfer presents itself in the form of body lean. In extreme circumstances, the vehicle may [[Vehicle rollover|roll over]].

Height of the centre of mass relative to the wheelbase determines load transfer between front and rear. The car's momentum acts at its centre of mass to tilt the car forward or backward, respectively during braking and acceleration. Since it is only the downward force that changes and not the location of the centre of mass, the effect on over/under steer is ''opposite'' to that of an actual change in the centre of mass. When a car is braking, the downward load on the front tires increases and that on the rear decreases, with corresponding change in their ability to take sideways load.

A lower centre of mass is a principal performance advantage of [[sports car]]s, compared to sedans and (especially) [[SUV]]s. Some cars have body panels made of lightweight materials partly for this reason.

Body lean can also be controlled by the springs, [[anti-roll bar]]s or the [[roll center]] heights.
{| class="wikitable" style="margin: 1em auto; text-align: center;"
|+ List of car [[Center of Gravity]] heights
|-
!| Model
!| Model<br>year
!| CoG height
|- <!--if too many entries, suggest reduction by notability; numbers made and extremes of height-->
| [[Ram Pickup#First generation .281981.E2.80.931993.3B D.2FW.29|Dodge Ram B-150]]<ref name=nhtsa1999>Gary J. Heydinger et al. "[http://1985mustanggt.com/Reference/sae1999-01-1336.pdf Measured Vehicle Inertial Parameters - NHTSA's Data Through November 1998] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160630121744/http://1985mustanggt.com/Reference/sae1999-01-1336.pdf |date=2016-06-30 }}" page 16+18. ''[[National Highway Traffic Safety Administration]]'', 1999</ref>
| 1987
| {{convert|85|cm|in|abbr=out|0}}
|-
| [[Chevrolet Tahoe]]<ref name=nhtsa1999/>
| 1998
| {{convert|72|cm|in|abbr=out|0}}
|-
| [[Lotus Elise]]<ref>{{cite web|date=2014-02-04|title=Suspension|url=http://willmartin.com/suspension/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160625121424/http://willmartin.com/suspension/|archive-date=2016-06-25|access-date=2016-06-05|quote=The Lotus Elise has a kinematic roll center height of 30mm above the ground and a centre of gravity height of 470mm [18½"]. The Lotus Elise RCH is 6% the height of the CG, meaning 6% of lateral force is transferred through the suspension arms and 94% is transferred through the springs and dampers.}}</ref>
| 2000
| {{convert|47|cm|in|abbr=out|0}}
|-
| [[Tesla Model S]]<ref name=rope>{{cite web |first=L. David |last=Roper |url=http://www.roperld.com/science/TeslaModelS.htm |title=Tesla Model S Data |access-date=2015-04-05 <!--sources at page bottom--> |archive-date=2019-09-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190911155446/http://www.roperld.com/science/teslamodels.htm |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=sciAbuild>{{cite web |url=http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-tesla-motors-builds-the-safest-car-video/ |title=How Tesla Motors Builds One of the World's Safest Cars [Video] |author=David Biello |work=Scientific American |access-date=2016-06-06 |archive-date=2018-11-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181107011527/https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-tesla-motors-builds-the-safest-car-video/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
| 2014
| {{convert|46|cm|in|abbr=out|0}}
|-
| [[Chevrolet Corvette (C7)]] Z51<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.caranddriver.com/comparisons/2014-chevrolet-corvette-stingray-z51-page-3|title=2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Z51|date=1 November 2013|access-date=6 June 2016|quote=Its center-of-gravity height—17.5 inches—is the lowest we've yet measured|archive-date=1 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180101082404/https://www.caranddriver.com/comparisons/2014-chevrolet-corvette-stingray-z51-page-3|url-status=live}}</ref>
| 2014
| {{convert|44.5|cm|in|abbr=out|0}}
|-
| [[Alfa Romeo 4C]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.caradvice.com.au/253053/alfa-romeo-4c-review/|title=Alfa Romeo 4C Review|work=CarAdvice.com.au|author=Connor Stephenson|date=24 September 2013|access-date=6 June 2016|quote=the centre of gravity is just 40cm off the ground|archive-date=24 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180824183429/https://www.caradvice.com.au/253053/alfa-romeo-4c-review/|url-status=live}}</ref>
| 2013
| {{convert|40|cm|in|abbr=out|0}}
|-
|Formula 1 Car
|2017
|25 centimetres (10&nbsp;in)
|}