[COcyclist]

I have been pondering this for a while since observing that many posts about work done on the front of a vehicle get shot down in flames. (Picture Snoopy with smoke pouring out of his doghouse) Also, what I personally consider to be a couple of our leading authorities on this site (Aerocivic and Aerohead) have reshaped the fronts of their vehicles, as well as streamlining the back. Then I am reading a post from MetroMPG about the 2013 Chevy Malibu ECO aerodynamic tweaks and came across this:

10 counts: Underbody panels - two in the mid-body area under the floor pan on either side of the center tunnel, and two in the rear area covering the fuel tank and rear area on either side of the exhaust

10 counts: Rounded front corners - from the bottom of the fascia up through the headlamps - help air flow smoothly along the Malibu's body sides

10 counts: Tire deflectors positioned forward of the front tires act as "mini-air dams" to minimize wind disruptions

7 counts: The closed upper grille on select models pushes wind to the sides of the Malibu

7 counts: Outside rearview mirrors are specifically designed to deflect wind without "upsetting" the airflow

7 counts: Shutters in the lower grill opening on select models open and close automatically to maximize aerodynamic efficiency. This increases cooling airflow to the engine under certain conditions, such as under high-engine loads at low speeds, and reduces aerodynamic drag when extra cooling is not needed

5 counts: The front air dam redirects airflow to minimize aerodynamic disruptions

5 counts: The notch angle of the vehicle - the angle from the top of the rear glass to the trailing edge of the decklid - was optimized to reduce wind drag

2 counts: An integrated decklid spoiler incorporates a crisp, trailing edge that helps separate air from the rear of the Malibu.

The "rounded front corners" is 10 counts and the "decklid spoiler" is only 2 counts. Hmmm. I don't dispute the science that a full teardrop shape is essential for lowest drag in optimized vehicles. I just feel there may be some gains to be had at the front too. For many of us, a full boattail presents visibility, added length and parking problems. Should we as Ecomodders, do more work on the front before concluding that it is boattail or nothing?