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Old 07-26-2010, 06:37 PM   #6 (permalink)
aerohead
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1 or 2

I didn't find a link to the other car with shark fin.
Here's my guess :
The single fin adds to directional stability,as it helps keep the aerodynamic center of pressure behind the center of gravity.It does nothing to enhance the performance of the rear deck.
With the double spill-plates,their name describes their function,preventing the higher pressure air from moving in a spanwise direction and spilling over the ends,spilling into the lower pressure regime underneath,and in so doing,creating attached vortices which can produce significant drag.
Also,the spill-plates also act as weather-vanes,like the shark fin,and if you start to go sideways,their dirty Cd 1.11 helps to re-center the car through high,separation-induced drag.
If they don't do it,you go for the parachutes as fast as you can!
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