[brucepick]

Thanks to all for your recent notes here.

I hadn't estimated the exposed suspension items & driveshafts as causing as much drag as expected by Neil Blanchard and aerohead. I expect you guys are right on that.

Just to point out - the most recent prototype (orange, P4 designation) has the coils moved into the man body, but the driveshaft and arms are indeed exposed.

I've long hoped that a tapering tail could be added to the wheel fairings to mitigate losses there. Unfortunately it seems that at full steering lock, the current fairings come very close to the body. One photo I saw showed that but I can't seem to locate it right now. I don't hold out much hope for DIY fairing tails, but you never know. On the right side (no door there), one could possibly build a fixed tail anchored to the main body. It would work properly only when the wheel is pointed straight ahead.

Front track is 66.8". Compare with 2014 Civic at 59". Overall width is even more of course due to wheel housing width. I don't see Elio further widening the configuration in an effort to get the wheels further away from the body for aero purposes. The up side is, Elio claims superb stability, practically tipover proof, and cornering G-forces better than some performance cars (numbers not provided).

If there's room for even a short tail added to the wheel fairings, I'm sure it will be a favorite mod for any Elio's owned on this board.

I'm also considering a boat tail for the back end. That's more challenging of course, and needs to include fully legal rear lighting.