Mercedes CLA sedan: 0.23 drag coefficient (0.22 for BlueEfficiency model) - Page 2 - Fuel Economy, Hypermiling, EcoModding News and Forum

gone-ot · 01-16-2013, 12:09 PM

"...hugging the ground..." has always been good for reducing aerodrag.

...and, matching tyre diameter to wheelwell circumference gives errant 'air' almost no place to create air turbulence (drag).

ECONORAM · 01-16-2013, 10:08 PM

I'm surprised it has a .23 Cd. That is fantastic! Sigh, my truck is more than 2x that...

sustainable sam · 01-16-2013, 11:37 PM

That's incredible. I was just thinking earlier today how there needs to be more education to the general public regarding vehicle aerodynamics. I hope Mercedes starts a trend of low drag vehicles.

shovel · 01-17-2013, 05:47 PM

and yet the wheels... don't look very aero at all.

tjts1 · 01-17-2013, 06:04 PM

Back in 1984 the poverty spec W124 (skinny tires, smooth hub caps) pulled a 0.29cd. I would like to bring mine down to that level or maybe improve on it a bit.

serialk11r · 01-17-2013, 06:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shovel

and yet the wheels... don't look very aero at all.

Possible, spokes could be partially streamlined? Besides, they could've engineered the fenders to divert flow away and reduce drag.

niky · 01-17-2013, 08:12 PM

Likely that. And as Old Tele Man says, the fender-to-wheel gap plays an important part, too.

nackerton · 03-18-2013, 03:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tjts1

Back in 1984 the poverty spec W124 (skinny tires, smooth hub caps) pulled a 0.29cd. I would like to bring mine down to that level or maybe improve on it a bit.

I think that the main difference between 300D and basic model is the front bumper.

Vekke · 03-22-2013, 06:54 AM

Have they released their fuel consumption figures out yet?

I found that Co2 is 118 g/km which gives 4,45 l/100km average fuel consumption.
Mercedes-Benz CLA 180 BlueEFFICIENCY, 2013 C 117 technical specifications & information 304480

Rokeby · 03-22-2013, 01:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shovel

and yet the wheels... don't look very aero at all.

Just a thought: MB has been known to put clear aero-covers on it's show cars. IIRC, including a high-zoot FourTwo Brabus.

That said, in any of the pictures I don't see the evidence that such covers are in use: clips/fasteners in either the spokes, the rims, or hub.