Cougar shape?

[Christ]

Just wanted to get some input on this car's shape relative to aero efficiency?

Seems that it's got a relatively small frontal area, and an intuitively low-drag shape (unless you count the rear window shape). I'm guessing with a more fluid transition to the deck lid, it could be ideal.

[Frank Lee]

Frontal area is relatively small for as heavy and powerful a car as it is.

I don't remember the numbers but I compared my SuperCoupe to my Tempos and the aero drag was pretty much the same.

I don't think the abrupt rear window angle is all that bad, especially with the sorta-high trunk lid. A proper spoiler back there would really clean that up.

Same for the Tbird even though the rear window area is the main difference tween em.

[Christ]

Great!

Trying to trade my quad for it... though the one I'm looking at is a '93 XR7... I've already got a truck 5 speed for it, just need the clutch pedal and master cylinder, and I can probably make something from an old single-master brake setup for that.

I was kinda thinking about either a tail-extension or a roof-line extension to just aft of the decklid with an abrupt end, parallel to the ground, such as the Prius' liftgate area.

[Christ]

I do know that I can sleep in that trunk... used to have one.

When I looked at the pic, I wanted to make sure to pay close attention to the gentle slope of the roof line, which appears to be training airflow in a downward arc toward the deck lid.

While I don't think it's TOO bad, I do believe that rear window adds significant wake area, somewhat comparable to that which is created at the rear of the car's deck lid.

I think "fixing" the flow there at the window area could lessen the rear drag by at least 30%. No expert, so input is necessary here. (Phil?!?)

[dwtaylorpdx]

Needs a gurney flap style lip on the rear of the trunk lid.

The little lip on the E30 BMW adds 4 MPH on the straight at PIR for the pro-3 cars.
and that cougar tail is very very similar to the beemer.

Dave

[Frank Lee]

I want this spoiler for the Tempos and the SC:

[Christ]

Bad graphics? The number "9" repeated incessantly? A HUGE FORD LOGO?...

Oh - the drag spoiler. Hehe.

That's what I'm envisioning the older BMW's with, only much, much shorter. Like about 2" off the edge of the deck lid, and only acting as an extension of it, not actually rising to meet airflow above the deck lid.

[Frank Lee]

That's the thing with these; they don't rise as much as they go rearward.

Go up and/or out back to whatever it takes to line up with Metro's aero profile teardrop.

If it falls short of that, it may not do much good.

The goodie thing about going back more than up is the smaller wake zone.

[Christ]

I also love how it just always looks like it's doing something. It's never "idle", if you're looking at it. It just seems like it's fluid, I guess.

[Frank Lee]

I need to learn PhotoShop so I can lay that Fusion against the aero template.