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Old 08-11-2010, 06:56 PM   #134 (permalink)
aerohead
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Cd 0.485 vs 0.65

Quote:
Originally Posted by RobertSmalls View Post
Old bug, 0.48 Cd why?

Erm, I mean, why did the 1938 VW Beetle have a Cd of 0.48?

The Germans certainly knew how to build a low-drag car. What led to the selection of such high drag bodywork, instead of styling the VW bug after the Schloer pillbug or a streamlined, rear-engined Tatra? They could easily have halved the Cd, and thus cruised the Autobahn with a smaller engine and fuel tank.
Adolf Hitler seems to have thought that Ferdinand Porsche hung the Moon and while Porsche's kdf -wagon had Cd 0.485 it was WAY better than Opel's P4 which was competing for the Volkswagen,at around Cd 0.65,typical for 'real ' cars of the period.
The Beetle would trounce the P4 on the Autobahn in mpg,there's just no way Opel could have competed.
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