Chevy Volt Wind Tunnel Video

[basslover911]

Here we go, GM talking "stuff" about other manufacturers...

AND copying toyota, and it looks to me like honda (the civic, it has very similar styling in the headlights and front bumper...)

Hm...

[MetroMPG]

I see the Civic in the front end too. Some Acura-ness there as well.

[Red]

It reminds me of the old TL. Which is a handsome car

[SuperTrooper]

I just saw a video with Lutz doing a walkaround of the Volt.

VIDEO: A walkaround review of the Chevrolet Volt by GM product chief Bob Lutz - AutoWeek Magazine

In it he claims the rear view mirrors have no impact on the car's aero.

I'm really starting to like the looks of it.

[tasdrouille]

Originally Posted by SuperTrooper

I just saw a video with Lutz doing a walkaround of the Volt.

VIDEO: A walkaround review of the Chevrolet Volt by GM product chief Bob Lutz - AutoWeek Magazine

In it he claims the rear view mirrors have no impact on the car's aero.

I'm really starting to like the looks of it.

I also like the looks of it very much.

But Lutz saying the mirrors have no impact on the aero of the car is just silly. I guess he doesn't know what the A in CdA is, and then there's added form and interference drag.

[Geebee]

Actually, it looks like the distance the mirrors are stalked out would eliminate most interference drag.

[lunarhighway]

not to fond of the looks, but it might be it's american styling... and the fact that it's still desinged to get noticed, but in the end that's just styling. i'm glad they did alter the original design extensively to get better aero, although GM is not short of designs on the 0.3 - 0.28 Cd range.
all the way up to 80's you find practical designs that have reasonable good aero. if they'd used those cars in the wind tunnel and took them trough another session the might end up in the sub 0.26 range (wich they touched with the calibra....)

the good think is the volt seems to have the overall dimentions of an average car wich sugests the technology might not take to long to trickle down to other GM cars... with strong rumors for a hybrid version of the next gen opel meriva and corsa the ones who killed the electric car might help resurect it.

but for now "we'll see"

[tasdrouille]

Originally Posted by Geebee

Actually, it looks like the distance the mirrors are stalked out would eliminate most interference drag.

It's not just the distance. In a biplane there is significant interference drag not only between the wings, but at the junctions between struts and wings too. Junction which is pretty much analog to how they attached the mirrors to the body on the volt. Careful design of those struts can mimimize interference drag though.

[SuperTrooper]

When Dallara designed the latest Indycar body they developed mirrors they call "aerodynamically neutral" at 200 mph. Look familiar? I think it is crucial how far away they are from the Volt body vs most mirrors, away from the potentially turbulent area near the side window transition. Expect to see this more often in the future.

[tasdrouille]

Could someone please elaborate how the mirrors on the volt do not add to the aero drag of the car? Or point to resources that would explain why? Or just provide an explanation as to why their interference drag is negligible.

I would like to understand, because what I know about drag says that those mirrors add to the overall drag of the car.