Quote:
Originally Posted by jimepting
I'm seeing more and more vehicles which "appear" to have roof taper very close to template. Perhaps more modern windtunnel testing is showing that for a given length, better aero is achieved by keeping template taper and increasing transom area wake. I've always been a bit suspicious that these folks were just maximizing internal room.
Honda pretty clearly put the insight just on the ragged edge, a different approach. Since they were commited to a 2 seater they had options.
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With the higher CAFE standards they may be choosing some length,and then by doing a good K-form roofline,they get the lowest drag per unit length.
This is exactly what Fachsenfeld and Kamm and Korff advocated.
Kamm and Korff recommended that cars be chopped off at 50% frontal area.
Todays Bugatti Veyron does exactly that.It ends at 49% aft-body which if it also had the plan-taper,would end up at 50% area.
They keep the broad rear to help keep it earthbound at 258-mph.
If we extend out to the full enchilada we get Cd 0.13.
If we streamline the wheels we can go below Cd 0.10.