Interview with BMW aerodynamicist Hans Kerschbaum

[The Toecutter]

Were someone to remove the stylists entirely from the initial design process, and not bring them in until the project is near completion, limiting the changes they can make, getting the Cd of the average fleet automobile sold below 0.18 would not pose any difficulty whatsoever.

[Frank Lee]

Bwwahahahaha!!!

The stylists don't have as much control over styling as you think....

Mgmt comes along and dictates much of it.

P.S. Engineering too.

[Frank Lee]

Originally Posted by miket

The chevy corvair and original vw beetle did too, however those two were air cooled engines so there was no seperate radiator to block off with a water thermostat, they had to block the air to keep the engine warm.

Just to be clear, the Corv/VW thermostats weren't blocking airflow-from-around-the-vehicle air; they were preventing the cooling fans from going full blast on cold engines.

[Arragonis]

Originally Posted by The Toecutter

Were someone to remove the stylists entirely from the initial design process, and not bring them in until the project is near completion, limiting the changes they can make, getting the Cd of the average fleet automobile sold below 0.18 would not pose any difficulty whatsoever.

I suspect it wouldn't sell though.

When my namesake on the left did that with the mini it worked out well. He only let them in because the top management called the mini too stark and even them he only allowed them to stick a couple of bits of chrome to it, and add hubcaps.

After the Mini his only really 'styled' car, the 1100, went on to be the best selling car in the UK (although priced at a loss) whereas the one he did himself, the 1800, failed to catch on.

But I suppose aero doesn't need to be ugly.