Quote:
Originally Posted by COcyclist
Here is a link to more photos of Ernie Rogers' New Beetle wing.
MAX-MPG TECHNOLOGY
I wonder how necessary those tall end caps are? Would something with a flat top and sides, with respect to the angles of the teardrop template, work for a hatchback too?... sort of like an extended trunk/cargo box?? |
Kick me if I'm repeating myself,but we kicked some of Ernie's tech around,and this is my take on it.
The New Beetle is still a pseudo-Jaray car and it no doubt suffers from attached-vortices on both sides of the car.So with respect to the endplates,I believe they are addressing this issue as span-wise flow control fences would on an aircraft wing.
I think also,that the end-plates actually 'tailor' the wake as long C-pillar bulkheads might on say the Daytona Charger and some of Mercedes-Benz AMG super cars.I think it's better with them.
With respect to the template,yes,absolutely,it will work for any car.Blending the C-pillars back is good although you do introduce a blind-spot on the passenger side ( like 1st-gen Insight) and must become more accustomed to relying on your mirrors in traffic.
Any combination of wings and caps can be fashioned to 'force' the air to follow closer the the template path.On my CRX I had a combo upper wing,extended C-pillars,and tail extension,kind of a hybrid bi-wing affair.
The only hitch is the ability to open the hatch with the unit attached,so it can't have 'thickness near the top or there'll be interference every time you try to open it.