Covering device for the underside of a motor vehicle, a motor vehicle, and a method of making same

This application claims the priority of German Patent Document DE 101 30 358.0, filed on Jun. 23, 2001, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein. An underside of a motor vehicle, for example, a passenger car having cross-country mobility, is equipped with a covering device which has a covering part and a fastening system for the covering part which can be mounted on the underside, the fastening system having at least one spring element. In order to protect the covering part from damage when driving over an obstacle, the spring element is arranged between the underside and the covering part, the spring forces of the spring element acting approximately at a right angle with respect to the underside.