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Old 12-21-2008, 04:52 PM   #18 (permalink)
basjoos
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I’m afraid this is just another example of automotive stylists gone wild rather than an honest attempt to create a low Cd car. This was GM’s turbine powered concept car, the 1959 Firebird III, so they were styling it to resemble a jet fighter. Since they were copying a very low Cd subject (a jet aircraft), they couldn’t help but to get some of the aerodynamics right if they were to retain the “look” of a jet fighter. But there are a number of aerodynamic flaws. Most noticeably, the angle of the trailing edge of the canopies is far too sharp to retain attached airflow. The fins are mostly for show. The vertical fins would provide some yaw stabilization, but the 4 horizontal fins are totally useless (no need for roll control on a ground vehicle), unless they are using them to generate downforce. There is also a big ridge along each side of the hood that is drag inducing and is there purely for cosmetics. Also the stagnation point on the nose is too high for a ground vehicle. Its certainly neat and cool looking, but not low drag, except purely by accident.

However the 1980 GM Epcot 2003 is a different story, now that was a concept car designed for low drag. And, of course, the 1988 GM Sunraycer.
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