Mustang aerodynamics video
 

I was poking around Teh Interwebz the other day reading about air curtains and came across this 2015 video with engineers and designers on the development of the then-new Mustang, including Carl Widmann, aero manager for the Mustang who went on to be the chief engineer on the upcoming Mustang GT500. In particular, the very end of the video has interesting views of the difference in the engine panel and air dam placement between the 2.3L Ecoboost/5.0 GT/GT350--the latter of which does not use an air dam at all. I've never seen a factory air dam shaped like the Ecoboost's, and I didn't think to look under one at the last auto show, so I found this interesting. Enjoy!

2015 Mustang Tech Aerodynamic Forum

At about minute 4:00 to 4:05 he describes three different airdam profiles. Showing examples, he describes the second variation as a fuel economy profile for an airdam on the ecoboost engine. It's a very different shape than the one that most of us, including myself, generally create.

Yea, I noticed that too.

I've done some hovercraft studies and once had a chance to show several sketches to a Navy guy at a hovercraft rally. His eyes lit up when I showed him a bow shape similar to the EcoBoost chin spoiler (dolphin), in lieu of the typical big arc - half round. I showed two schemes, conventional half round and a dolphin nose that he liked that undulated with compound curves.

He said if you don't know it, you are really on to something. Reminded him of something he was privileged to see at one time but could not talk about my imagination told me. :D

That's what caught my attention....

First thing I noticed was that they have made the hood line as close to a VW Beetle as practical with a front engine, then the air curtain shot. But the best is the close captioning.