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Old 01-04-2010, 01:17 PM   #3 (permalink)
MetroMPG
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Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: 1000 Islands, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 22,530

Blackfly - '98 Geo Metro
Team Metro
Last 3: 70.09 mpg (US)

MPGiata - '90 Mazda Miata
90 day: 54.46 mpg (US)

Even Fancier Metro - '14 Mitsubishi Mirage top spec
90 day: 70.75 mpg (US)

Appliance car Mirage - '14 Mitsubishi Mirage ES (base)
90 day: 62.14 mpg (US)
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You can see this same feature discussed on the Chevrolet Volt as well:

http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...ures-4629.html

BMW and others have been incorporating similar airflow "trip" points to promote clean separation off tail light lenses, which typically have large corner radii.

I'd venture a guess and say this mod would be worth doing to any vehicle where the upstream flow is relatively unturbulent, and the transition at the end of the car has an ample radius.

The 1st gen Insight, with its skirted rear wheels and rounded rear bumper cover corner would be a good candidate.

The only catch is that the effect of this mod is likely so small it wouldn't be easily measurable outside of a wind tunnel or with CFD.
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Project MPGiata! Mods for getting 50+ MPG from a 1990 Miata
Honda mods: Ecomodding my $800 Honda Fit 5-speed beater
Mitsu mods: 70 MPG in my ecomodded, dirt cheap, 3-cylinder Mirage.
Ecodriving test: Manual vs. automatic transmission MPG showdown



EcoModder
has launched a forum for the efficient new Mitsubishi Mirage
www.MetroMPG.com - fuel efficiency info for Geo Metro owners
www.ForkenSwift.com - electric car conversion on a beer budget
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