Gravity racer gallery - extreme aerodynamics
 

EDIT: split/copied this post from another thread. Some gorgeous examples of aero engineering from the big auto makers...

----

Some of the big auto mfr's compete every year in "extreme" downhill gravity races - and it's a really big deal for them.

http://www.seriouswheels.com/pics-st...p-1024x768.jpg
Volvo

http://www.carbodydesign.com/concept...%20Car%202.jpg
Volvo

http://img230.imageshack.us/img230/3...pbox1218co.jpg
Lotus

http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/...dixon1.583.jpg
Nissan

http://www.mazdausa.com/MusaWeb/imag..._content02.jpg
Mazda

http://gizmag.com/pictures/4681_30090595001.jpg
Audi

http://gizmag.com/pictures/4681_300905100827.jpg
GM (Front)

http://gizmag.com/pictures/4681_30090595057.jpg
Bentley

http://gizmag.com/pictures/4681_300905101138.jpg
VW

http://gizmag.com/pictures/4681_300905100528.jpg
Nissan (A winning team)

So ya, it's a big slap in the face. They know how important aerodynamics are - they're using it on downhill races where top speeds are ~50mph IIRC. Yet, bricks come off the assembly lines... Feel free to split this post off if you want...

trebuchet03 -

From my POV, these events don't "compete" with their bread and butter products.

PS - The Bentley is GORGEOUS!

CarloSW2

Soap Box Derby on steroids.

Just pick one and fill it with lightweight batteries!

Am I the only one that would be scared to death in one of these?

Hell no! Sign me up :D


Okay, maybe the first Volvo one - but I'm not afraid to wear the rubber suit :D

DARN! No trikes! That BENTly is right up my alley!! {recumBENT!}

countersTrike

I tried to find some YouTube of these babies in action, but didn't have any luck. These are gorgeous machines.

I really like the first Nissan. It loosk like it would be awesome to ride in. I wonder how I apply for that job...

I'd love to see this event. I assume it's held in California though...

http://www.mazdausa.com/MusaWeb/imag..._content02.jpg

I know the aerodynamics are not perfect on this Mazda, but the body and windshield looks so cool.

Gravity Racers
 

Looks like the Solar Challenge sans photovoltaics.Delicious! Thanks for the images!

Any, except the Volvo
 

I'd pilot any of them .... except the Volvo.

Head First ... and they're supposed to be the safety minded car makers?

What's that ole' Hull Length to beam Width Equation?? Bet you find the winner had the best ratio total coupled with perfect mass.

http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/...dixon1.583.jpg

Caption~

Roll down your window!

I would like to see them do this with production cars in neutral. Then we would know the whole story on who is the slickest.

The Bentley is awesome. Their cars look like slightly sculpted houses, but their downhill racer looks like a Buck Rogers spaceship.

(That's Buck Rogers the comic strip, not the gawdawful TV show).

Those are unlimited category "soap box" cars. Major firms (Bentley, Lotus, Audi, etc.) put newly hired grad. students on those projects as a baptism by fire. I can't imagine them being too scary, they are piloted by 12-14 year olds. :)

There are probably several races, but the big one was in England. I forgot exactly what it was called, but it is defunct now.

I'd like to see those things piloted by luge-borders...cajones grande.

- LostCause

As a former street luge boarder (back in the mid eighties when it was a fringe sport) these things would be a blast, much safer and no doubt much, much faster. Heck I'd run one of these now - if I could fit in one.

Give me one with every dimension doubled, some suspension and a motor and behold, the perfect $4 a gallon commuter. Gets you to work with a no-caffene rush and a big grin to start the day.

Gravity racer designs do not use spoilers, air dams, etc. :( to correct for aero-inefficiencies.

Do the rules stipulate 4 wheels, outboard wheels, or what?

If two wheels work, a modified HPV a la Battle Mountain would surely be best.

I don't think Volvo 'gets it'. Why'd they bother to put a fairing on the rear wheel when the driver's size 14 Roper boots are on either side of it? Ha ha ha.:p

There must be a 4-wheel rule.
Turn any one of them into a tadpole trike with a motor or small engine...then you got something. *sigh*

The ambiguosly gay duo the ambiguiosly gay duo....

why don't production cars look like wider, upscaled versions of this? sure the'd have more frontal area and perhaps a bit more drag, but they'd have an engine too...

the cars we have today are still build by fitting a practical shape on an existing platform, giveing it an appealing look, and than tweak the edges so it doesn't have to much drag.

let engineers design cars!, and stylists decide what color the seats will be.

just needs the scrotum.

Oh quit thinking and just go back to your Soma.psssssssssssssst,you're not supposed to think!!!!!!!!!!!!

Something like that Bently or Mazda is just the ticket. An oversize recumbent trike I got last weekend (Big Red - odd it is named twice!) is begging for some aerodynamic additions! I have to keep it light, so I will try that silver insulation.

VW are putting their 1L/100km experiment into production, I believe. It looks like a larger version of one of the VW cars pictured here.

The first time my wife (as a teenager) heard the name Volvo, she wondered...

"Why anyone would name a car after a body part?" :) :)

aussie gravity racer
 

G'day boys and girls, newbie from Australia. A couple of weekends ago we had a big gravity race (what the locals call a billycart derby) at our most famous racetrack - Mt Panorama Bathurst.

This is the thing I raced there - It was influenced by the XGR cars as you can see...

http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...1955gj1.th.jpg[/IMG]

http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...1871ba1.th.jpg[/IMG]

http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...1956wi7.th.jpg[/IMG]
The second photo was before the tape was removed from the canopy and the stickers applied. I ran out of time to fabricate a fairing for both the rear axle and the steering arms, but otherwise I think it is relatively aerodynamically clean.

Just took a few more photos of the car in my classroom (i'm a high school teacher) which show off the side profile a little better.

http://img175.imageshack.us/img175/4...2013kh6.th.jpg
http://img175.imageshack.us/img175/7...2008ce9.th.jpg
http://img175.imageshack.us/img175/3...2012zw6.th.jpg
http://img175.imageshack.us/img175/4...2011te7.th.jpg
http://img175.imageshack.us/img175/4...2010zk5.th.jpg
http://img175.imageshack.us/img175/9...2009tk2.th.jpg

cool :thumbup:

Wooly, do you have any pics with the shell off? I'm curious about the frame, steering, and brakes.

About aerodynamic cars.
 

Hi,

I am sorry to present a document in French, but the pictures speak for itself :

http://inter.action.free.fr/publications/auto-eco.pdf

Be careful, pdf file is 9.38 MB !

Won't download.

Took a while, but downloaded great! This is the only link that showed exactly what happened to me in a panic stop on my Pod (tadpole) velomobile- front hit the road, back flew up several feet. Great pictures!

Some 3-wheel car plans, some 4-wheel cars, some about aerodynamics, some electrics, ending with velomobiles. Like looking throughout time! Excellent for 3-wheel fanatics like me!

Some pics.
 

http://i72.servimg.com/u/f72/11/02/60/21/reflex10.jpg

http://i72.servimg.com/u/f72/11/02/60/21/reflex11.jpg

http://i72.servimg.com/u/f72/11/02/60/21/reflex12.jpg

http://i72.servimg.com/u/f72/11/02/60/21/reflex13.jpg

From http://inter.action.free.fr

:)

There's Ken, what will Barbie be wearing to the race?

Because real cars have other requirements, like carrying 4-5 people, having an engine, and being safe

I like this shape- but it obviously will not carry more than 1, and only has 1 (human) engine. It had safety in mind- note the neat roll bar! :D