Process for producing a spring or torsion bar, comprising the steps of: a) providing a steel wire; b) thermomechanically forming the steel wire provided in step a) above the minimum recrystallization temperature of the steel wire, said steel wire having an at least partly austenitic structure; c) cooling the steel wire thermomechanically formed in step b); d) cutting the steel wire cooled in step c) to length to give rods; e) heating the rods cut to length in step d) at least to a forming temperature, the forming temperature being a temperature above the minimum recrystallization temperature of the steel wire, preferably equal to or greater than the austenite start temperature; f) hot forming (18, 18', 18'') the rods heated in step e) to give a spring or torsion bar; g) tempering the rods hot-formed in step f) to give a spring or torsion bar, comprising I. quenching the rods hot-formed in step f) to give a spring or torsion bar to a first cooling temperature, the first cooling temperature being a temperature below the minimum recrystallization temperature of the steel wire, and an at least partly martensitic structure being established; II. reheating the spring or torsion bar quenched in step I. to a first annealing temperature which is less than the austenite start temperature; III. cooling the hot-formed spring or rod reheated in step II. to a second cooling temperature, the second cooling temperature being at least less than the first annealing temperature; characterized in that with cooling of the steel wire in step c) to a temperature below the minimum recrystallization temperature it is cooled such that at least a partly ferritic-pearlitic structure is established in the steel wire. a) providing a steel wire; b) thermomechanically forming the steel wire provided in step a) above the minimum recrystallization temperature of the steel wire, said steel wire having an at least partly austenitic structure; c) cooling the steel wire thermomechanically formed in step b); d) cutting the steel wire cooled in step c) to length to give rods; e) heating the rods cut to length in step d) at least to a forming temperature, the forming temperature being a temperature above the minimum recrystallization temperature of the steel wire, preferably equal to or greater than the austenite start temperature; f) hot forming (18, 18', 18'') the rods heated in step e) to give a spring or torsion bar; g) tempering the rods hot-formed in step f) to give a spring or torsion bar, comprising I. quenching the rods hot-formed in step f) to give a spring or torsion bar to a first cooling temperature, the first cooling temperature being a temperature below the minimum recrystallization temperature of the steel wire, and an at least partly martensitic structure being established; II. reheating the spring or torsion bar quenched in step I. to a first annealing temperature which is less than the austenite start temperature; III. cooling the hot-formed spring or rod reheated in step II. to a second cooling temperature, the second cooling temperature being at least less than the first annealing temperature; I. quenching the rods hot-formed in step f) to give a spring or torsion bar to a first cooling temperature, the first cooling temperature being a temperature below the minimum recrystallization temperature of the steel wire, and an at least partly martensitic structure being established; II. reheating the spring or torsion bar quenched in step I. to a first annealing temperature which is less than the austenite start temperature; III. cooling the hot-formed spring or rod reheated in step II. to a second cooling temperature, the second cooling temperature being at least less than the first annealing temperature;