A thought on retractable spoilers

[serialk11r]

So "active aero" is kind of the new hot thing in sports cars these days, it seems like a lot of cars are coming with retractable spoilers.

Some supercars have massive retractable wings on them, and that got me thinking, if you look at the LFA's wing for example it has those nice fat turned down "wingtips". What if these could be extended behind the car instead of up to make the tail longer? The LFA wing would then be kind of like a Bonneville spoiler, and if it were a little wider the plates on the side would be able to interact with the flow around the side of the car.

You could take this to the bottom of the car too, the LaFerrari and 918 Spyder have moving diffusers. If they had extending diffusers instead, you could get some significant boattailing done especially on cars that aren't tall.

[serialk11r]

Accompanying graphic: In the case of my terribly unaerodynamic Spyder, the Veilside widebody kit has a rather interesting spoiler that covers the rear up, if that thing were attached to a hydraulic arm thingy and could move back, the spoiler could end up right at the template!

[doviatt]

It's all show.
By definition, spoilers spoil something. That thing being spoiled is lift. This is generally accomplished by the use of drag via flow separation and form drag. Both of these are anti slippery.
Race cars usually overcome this drag with with pure horsepower when speed is the goal.
Aerodynamic purity is always sleek, continuous, and smooth.

Nice looking car BTW.

[serialk11r]

Originally Posted by doviatt

It's all show.
By definition, spoilers spoil something. That thing being spoiled is lift. This is generally accomplished by the use of drag via flow separation and form drag. Both of these are anti slippery.
Race cars usually overcome this drag with with pure horsepower when speed is the goal.
Aerodynamic purity is always sleek, continuous, and smooth.

Nice looking car BTW.

I don't have a Veilside kit hahaha. The point of the drawing was to demonstrate that the bigger "spoilers" and wings can act like a crappy boattail/Bonneville flat plate spoiler if you extend them behind the car.

There was that research done with the Audi A2 or something where they put a box behind the back, and despite it not being streamlined it reduced the drag. Same idea, but instead of a permanent fixture to the back this would be something that folds back into the car neatly.

[nemo]

Nice concept. If the Bonneville style spoiler was retractable it would be able to extend beyond the rear bumper and if designed properly could reduce drag. Being retractable it wouldn't be a problem for parking or in traffic.

[skyking]

I think a lower airdam that extends/retracts based on the Vehicle Speed Sensor (VSS) output would be the bomb. You could make side skirts, and a front dam, and move those 3 pieces down close when there is little chance of ripping them off.
The only big problem is big road debris. One of those truck retreads could ruin your day

[botsapper]

Active spoilers. Still like Aeromotions computer-programmed active-assistance split rear wing. It could be set to have an aggressive performance profile for a dynamic and required downforce split to either left rear or right rear wheel depending on cornering maneuvers. It fully deploys in straight braking or split deployment when braking in sweeping turns or at sharp turns. The wing is set to neutral/low drag during top speeds.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7l70Q6P-vU

[aerohead]

Originally Posted by serialk11r

Accompanying graphic: In the case of my terribly unaerodynamic Spyder, the Veilside widebody kit has a rather interesting spoiler that covers the rear up, if that thing were attached to a hydraulic arm thingy and could move back, the spoiler could end up right at the template!

Here is 'Kamm's' solution,bottom two images:

[freebeard]

bottsapper -- similar to the Pagani Huayra?

serialk11r -- Bummer you don't have one. I don't either.

OTOH I've been scheming how I could to that side treatment on my VW Beetle. It would involve extended front and rear fenders, a rocker panel that covers the lower door hinge (with a filler piece on the door) and a top piece that would use the chrome trim holes.

[wdb]

1990's Lincoln Mark VIII had air suspension, and lowered itself at speed to improve aerodynamics. Couple that with the radar used in today's cars for adaptive cruise control and whatnot, and you could control air dams and side skirts - including raising them up when something in the road needed clearance, such as a truck tire tread.