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Old 06-06-2010, 04:31 PM   #7 (permalink)
ChopsQube
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Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: St Pete, FL
Posts: 55

Nissan Cube - '10 Nissan Cube Base
90 day: 33.35 mpg (US)

The BRG - '91 Mazda Miata SE
90 day: 35.9 mpg (US)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RobertSmalls View Post
I've added the Cube to our Vehicle Drag Coefficient Wiki. Cd = 0.35, CdA = 9.48ft².

Most of your energy is spent overcoming aerodynamic drag, so your biggest gains would come from reducing your cruising speed or improving your drag coefficient.

After a few stealthy mods, your ability to lower Cd without drastically altering the character of the Cube will hit a wall. Those stealthy mods include wheel covers on the inside of the wheel, a grille block behind the grille, and underbelly work if Nissan overlooked any. Beyond that, maybe you could work in some quirky looking rear wheel skirts. Unfortunately, cubes (not Cubes) have fundamentally bad aerodynamics, especially at the rear, that can not be cured without taking much of the cubicness out of the Cube.
Actually, I just figured out the CdA of the Cube a couple hours ago and it's not 9.48, it's 8.51.

I figure if guys with the original Scion xB's can get 35-45mpg, there's no reason why I can't. Aerodynamic wise, they're about the same. Even the new xB's aren't much better.

I've got some VG's coming my way just for the heck of it, but no way am I putting fender skirts on my car, not to mention they wouldn't fit over my rear wheels anyway. I'll try installing some tire spats though.
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