Interesting Aerodynamic Cars (Mike Vetter's ETV, also Avion)

[Cd]

The Origins of Streamline Design in Cars - autoevolution

[redneck]

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Opel GTW Geneve Concept, 1975

Opel revealed a beautifully streamlined two-seater in Geneva in 1975, the "Genève". Engineered to take a Wankel-type rotary engine, its original name was "GT/W" ("W" for Wankel). However, GM dropped its Wankel development program before the car was completed. Opel Design renamed it and exhibited its fiberglass mock-up as an eye-catcher at the show.

The front grill is very interesting...



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[Madact]

The "Colani 700" (BMW 700 with a body by Luigi Colani). Prototype built in 1963, monocoque body, 350kg (not sure if that's with an engine in it...), top speed of 200kph, slippery as

Very surprised this hasn't been posted here before... but I searched, and apparently not.

[freebeard]

I'm always up for a 'new' Colani; but the bubbles in the roof don't align with the seats and steering wheel. Did anyone notice the airplane in the background of the black and white picture? Some of his best work involved locomotives.

The GTW is sweet. GM also produced the XP895/Aerovette around the same time, also Wankel powered.

Chevrolet Aerovette - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

In 1972, DeLorean authorized further work on the XP-882 chassis and gave it a new project code, XP-895. A near-identical body in aluminum alloy that resembled the XP-895 was constructed, and became the "Reynolds Aluminum Car." Two of the Chevrolet Vega 2-rotor engines were joined together as a 4-rotor, 420 horsepower (310 kW) engine, which was used to power XP-895. The XP-895 was first shown in late 1973. Another Corvette concept, XP-897GT, also appeared in 1973, which used a 2-rotor engine. However, with the energy crisis of the time, GM scrapped its rotary development work and all plans for a Wankel-powered car. The XP-897GT 2-rotor Concept was sold to Tom Falconer and fitted with a Mazda 13B rotary engine in 1997.

[redneck]

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XP895/Aerovette

Woulda Coulda Shoulda... But,

didn't...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zm8J0rIb4v8

Reminds me of the Kelmark GT.

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[Cd]

Sleek from every angle.
I wonder what the cD would be with a better designed underbelly or an airdam.

[Cd]

Same manufacturer as above. The Bizzarrini Manta.
Looks sleek, but might not be due to the large wheel wells and such. ( But certainly better than a Countach )

[redneck]

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Bizzarrini GT Strada

Nice looking car.

This however, is overkill...

From the magazine article;

The GT Strada is a thirsty car. To prevent constant fuel stops, it has three fuel tanks.
Two -7.5 gallon tanks and a 20 gallon. For a total of 35 gallons of fuel.

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[Madact]

Originally Posted by freebeard

I'm always up for a 'new' Colani; but the bubbles in the roof don't align with the seats and steering wheel. Did anyone notice the airplane in the background of the black and white picture? Some of his best work involved locomotives.

I believe the bubbles are to do with avoiding vortex formation at the roof-door junction, not about headroom... does beg the question "why not just make the whole roof lower?" of course. Would be interesting to see it in a wind tunnel, and see what effects those bubbles have vs. a more conventional roofline - Colani managed some very interesting aerodynamics just from instinct at times (I mean, he had the education, but his intuition seems to often go beyond that).

The plane in the background looks like the Pontresina, one of his counterrotating-prop speed record planes I believe. I just noticed it seems to use the equal-area rule, I didn't know he was looking to go supersonic in the thing


Speaking of planes - this is *slightly* off topic, but I think worth a mention in this thread, as it is very aerodynamic, also a CR prop design, and was built circa 1940 by a well known car designer: the Bugatti 100P

[some_other_dave]

There's a replica of the 100P (intended to be a flying replica!!) that was on display with lots of other Bugattis at the Mullin Automotive Museum in Oxnard CA. Very neat to see--and so were the other Bugs, for that matter. If you're anywhere nearby, it's worth a look. (The exhibit runs through next month.)

-soD