Quote:
Originally Posted by freebeard
I'd say just the opposite. Review this: An Illustrated History Of Automotive Aerodynamics: Part 3 (1960 – Present)
The 80s is the 'jelly bean' era, precipitated by the Ford Taurus/Mercury Sable. The first American cars with the headlight reflectors mounted in aerodynamic buckets, following (of course) the VW Beetle in the 30s.
Contemporary cars have lost the 'jelly bean' look, especially in the back, and have more sculpted sides.
As for your question posted three minutes earlier; depends on the installation, a Kammback is probably the winner. |
You're probably right, on both counts. But I was thinking about how cars went from being rounded and sleek, to boxy and angular. I've got a '74 Buick Apollo, and while compared to either of the vehicles pictured above, it's a brick, compared to my grandmother's '83 Chevy Impala it possesses a dart like sleekness. And the difference is even more pronounced when looking at SUV type vehicles. An 80's era Jeep Grand Cherokee looks like a box on wheels, while the current 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee looks like it was modeled after a space craft from some futuristic sci-fi series, very sleek and aerodynamic.
I agree about the Kammback, and I think that in the near future I may build a test model out of cardboard, with the miles I drive every day it shouldn't take long to get an idea as to how well, or poorly, it's working.
P.S. The Aptera, pictured in the article you shared, looks a lot like the Elio that just started selling this year.