New bug, .38 CD why?

[Dave's Civic Duty]

Great job on the design! I still resembles the original that we all know & love!

Dave

[aerohead]

Originally Posted by jamesqf

The original Beetle was not only sucking air in to feed the cooling fans, it was pushing that air out at a higher temperature. So maybe aerodynamics of pure shape don't exactly apply - same principle as a blown wing?

james,I think I see where you're going but my thought is that the air volume moved by the cooling fan would pale in contrast to the air volume of the car's wake.I think it would just be lost in the background noise of the turbulence.
The suction/blown slot wing requires enormous volumes of air,something a turbine engine can provide,and I understand that they're only used during landing or takeoff at very high angles of attack to prevent stall.
The back of the Beetle is stalled all the time even though it never changes orientation,and it appears that the meager suction/blowing of the fan is of no consequence in regards to the drag developed.

[aerohead]

I they do it,they'll knock some significant( and unused ) frontal area away,lower the CdA by so doing,and get the CAFE numbers up,all with modest tooling cost.
Smart business wise,and will position the car better for 2016 EPA mpg requirements.
And there is no mistaking it,it's a Beetle!
Thanks for sharing this!

[RobertSmalls]

Old bug, 0.48 Cd why?

Erm, I mean, why did the 1938 VW Beetle have a Cd of 0.48?

The Germans certainly knew how to build a low-drag car. What led to the selection of such high drag bodywork, instead of styling the VW bug after the Schloer pillbug or a streamlined, rear-engined Tatra? They could easily have halved the Cd, and thus cruised the Autobahn with a smaller engine and fuel tank.

[Frank Lee]

Good question. It had little power and was thus slow but still every bit helps.

Wouldn't it be cool if pillbugs were as common as beetles?

[aerohead]

Originally Posted by RobertSmalls

Old bug, 0.48 Cd why?

Erm, I mean, why did the 1938 VW Beetle have a Cd of 0.48?

The Germans certainly knew how to build a low-drag car. What led to the selection of such high drag bodywork, instead of styling the VW bug after the Schloer pillbug or a streamlined, rear-engined Tatra? They could easily have halved the Cd, and thus cruised the Autobahn with a smaller engine and fuel tank.

I suppose you could ask the same question of the New Beetle.I believe the answer lies with the GM' stylist's remark to Walter Korff in 1963," If we were to make cars 100% streamlined,would they not all look alike,and we stylists have nothing to do?"

[aerohead]

Let's see if this works as a link:
http://inter.action.free.fr/images/a...smoke-test.jpg

[donee]

Hi Aero....,

How about this one: http://inter.action.free.fr/images/a...t-aerodyne.jpg

The main link to this sight gives a very interesting road vehicle aerodyamics section. Thank you Google for the autotranslation feature!

Check out http://inter.action.free.fr/ Then hit the "Aero Lab" link, and follow by hitting the "Aerodyamics of Road Vehicles" link.

[Dave's Civic Duty]

donee,

The first link that you sent looks like a plastic model having the smoke test done to it. Am I seeing that right?

Dave

[bgd73]

Originally Posted by Frank Lee

Good question. It had little power and was thus slow but still every bit helps.

Wouldn't it be cool if pillbugs were as common as beetles?

power as in hp, is not a boxer. the 1938 would rip a civic a new ... err hum. Don;t chain the miconception of power together.

the new beetle is sideways drivetrain for one, crammed in aplace it should never go..that is instant brick wall in the wind...underhood physics of transverse is the reason I run from them. aero benefits for thenew beetle would be diffuser holes down low in the rear...maybe even an inch of rake positive.