Autoblog

See how the McLaren P1 was 'Designed by Air'

Jonathon Ramsey — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 12:44:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Technology, Videos, Luxury, McLaren

In attempt to visualize the claim that the McLaren P1 is, "The most aerodynamically advanced car in the world," the Woking, UK firm has put out a video called Designed by Air to show how the stuff we breathe interacts with the supercar.

The video isn't the complete story, it's just a teaser for an interactive experience that will be released next month. The full story will go into how the raw materials in the P1 were designed into the final shapes by the airflow around them. You can watch it below, but we'll warn you, it probably won't make much sense until McLaren reveals the rest of the story next month.

Continue reading See how the McLaren P1 was 'Designed by Air'

See how the McLaren P1 was 'Designed by Air' originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 22 Apr 2013 12:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mini shows Cooper Works GP goes for a smoke, cheats the wind

Jonathon Ramsey — Sat, 11 Aug 2012 14:02:00 EST

Filed under: Videos, Hatchback, Mini, Specialty

Mini wants you to know all about its latest, limited-to-2,000 John Cooper Works GP edition. After a stint at the 'Ring to set a time of 8:23, the two-seat-only Cooper has parked itself in the wind tunnel to demonstrate its various wind-cheating features like the engine shield and rear wing.

The narrator informs us that that JCW GP has six percent less drag, 30 percent less front axle lift and 90 percent less rear axle lift - we'll assume that's compared to a standard Mini Cooper, since he doesn't say, but those are healthy numbers no matter what. Check out the video below to see how it achieves them.

Continue reading Mini shows Cooper Works GP goes for a smoke, cheats the wind

Mini shows Cooper Works GP goes for a smoke, cheats the wind originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 11 Aug 2012 14:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Why wheel spats probably won't make a comeback despite aero benefits

Zach Bowman — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 08:29:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Technology, GM

Sad news if you were hoping to see fender skirts return to the automotive design mainstream; according to Automotive News, General Motors has already spent a fair chunk of time and money investigating whether or not adding the aero pieces could lead to increased fuel economy.

As it turns out, covering the rear fender wells could indeed go a long way toward making vehicles more aerodynamic, but the costs and drawbacks associated with applying the pieces are too steep for production. For starters, manufacturers would have to run narrower tires at the rear of the vehicle, possibly decreasing handling prowess at the same time.

In addition, GM found that running fender skirts causes tire pressures to increase dramatically, potentially leading to and increased likelihood of tire failure. That's not something that any automaker wants to induce in a production vehicle.

Then there's the fact that adding fender skirts to a vehicle would invariably add to production costs. At the end of the day, the domestic automaker found that fender skirts simply aren't worth any additional aerodynamic advantage given the risks and costs associated with their use. Oh, and most consumers don't really seem to like them, either...

Why wheel spats probably won't make a comeback despite aero benefits originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 21 Sep 2011 08:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GM pickups to adopt active grille louvers for fuel economy?

Sam Abuelsamid — Wed, 19 May 2010 17:28:00 EST

Filed under: Truck, Technology, Chevrolet, GM, GMC

Chevrolet Silverado - Click above for high-res image gallery

General Motors' full-size pickup trucks may be next in line to get thermostatically controlled louvers behind the grille to improve aerodynamics. SRG Global, which produces a variety of components for numerous manufacturers, is developing just such a system for GM's trucks. Similar systems will debut later this year on the Chevrolet Cruze and later on the new Ford Focus.

One of the biggest sources of aerodynamic drag and turbulence comes from the air flowing through a vehicle's engine compartment. Closing off the grille to limit this airflow can drastically reduce this issue, however, the engine still needs air for cooling - especially at lower speeds. At higher speeds, the increased air velocity means less open area is required for adequate cooling.

Thermostatically controlled slats monitor coolant temperatures and then open or close as needed, giving the best of both worlds at the expense of a bit of added cost and complexity. That said, SRG's new designs will integrate the slats into the grille structure reducing the cost of the system and making assembly simpler. Theoretically, such technology could also be used to improve cold-weather warm-ups by keeping the grille's slats closed.

Gallery: 2009 Chevy Silverado

[Source: Ward's Auto World]

GM pickups to adopt active grille louvers for fuel economy? originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 19 May 2010 17:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dodge Viper ACR wing stronger than your average spoiler

Michael Harley — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 14:28:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Performance, Technology, Dodge, Design/Style

The elephantine rear airfoil bolted to the rear deck of the Dodge Viper ACR is not only highly functional, but it gets credit as being the first mass-produced carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) wing on a production car. Rear wings on high performance vehicles are designed to counter lift. Without aerodynamic aids, most vehicles become less stable and have reduced grip as velocities increase (worst case, the vehicle actually flies as did the Mercedes CLR at Le Mans in 1999).

Chrysler's SRT Performance Group was tasked with building a faster variant of the Dodge Viper with the ACR, yet cutting weight at the same time. The team did extensive studies of wing profiles before settling on a 72-inch wide wing manufactured out of CFRP. While most wings have a structural core or ribbing, the ACR's hollow wing is comprised of just four layers of epoxy/carbon fiber weave with an outer UV-resistant clearcoat.

The wing is amazingly strong (as evidenced by the picture at right), yet it weighs just 7.5 lbs, 50 to 80 percent less than an aluminum or thermoplastic counterpart. Working in conjunction with a variable-geometry front splitter and dive planes, the oversized rear wing helps the Viper ACR achieve its targeted 1,000 lbs of downforce at 150 mph. That's enough to help Dodge's supercar sustain a cornering load of 1.5 Gs at speed - superior to many GT racing cars.

[Source: Composites World]

Dodge Viper ACR wing stronger than your average spoiler originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 13 Aug 2009 14:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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REPORT: The future of the BMW 3 Series

Sam Abuelsamid — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 16:26:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Hybrid, Sedan, Technology, BMW

The next generation BMW 3-series is set to get some major revisions when it arrives in two year's time. The new model is expected to be the first in the range to get a line of turbocharged three-cylinder engines in both gas and diesel variants, and will likely be 1.5-liter units -- essentially halved versions of the latest generation inline-sixes.

BMW's current six-cylinder diesels use a sequential dual turbo setup with small and large blowers to provide quick response and better top-end power. The new engines may use an electric motor to spin up the turbo more quickly allowing the use of a single turbo for reduced weight and complexity.

Aerodynamics will also be a major focus of the new 3 with the expected inclusion of front wheel air curtains. Ducts in the lower front bumper will route air out just ahead of the front wheels, creating a virtual wheel skirt. The high velocity over the wheels will prevent air coming around the sides and spilling around the wheels, one of the major sources of drag.

Other areas of improvement will include weight reductions, the incorporation of hybrid drive technologies, low-power climate control systems and eight-speed automatic transmissions. All that and more could be in showrooms as early as 2012.

[Source: AutoCar]

REPORT: The future of the BMW 3 Series originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 05 Aug 2009 16:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New vehicle wraps claim to increase fuel economy by as much as 25%

Dan Roth — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 17:31:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, Gadgets, Etc., Green

Say you've got a company making plastic vehicle wraps for advertising. One day, you drive your graphic'd-up car to the golf course, and after losing three balls trying to drive across a water hazard, you get to pondering the golf ball itself. Those distinctive dimples on the surface of a golf ball reduce aerodynamic drag, allowing your Titleist to sail over the fairway. What if you wrapped a car in a similar dimpled layer? Thus was born FastSkinz, a new venture of SkinzWraps. Instead of turning vehicles into garish mobile billboards for radio stations, FastSkinz applies a dimpled covering that is supposed to "trip" the boundary layer, changing airflow around the vehicle from laminar to turbulent, reducing wake turbulence, just like those dimples on a golf ball, or the fancy new Olympic swimsuits that mimic shark skin.

Call us skeptical, but what works for a round ball flying through the air might not have equal success when applied to an automobile. Not being aerodynamicists, we'll wait for independent test results to either verify or debunk the FastSkinz claims of an 18-to-20-percent fuel economy improvement. In the past, such large gains have been merely fantastical PR noise, and FastSkinz's own documentation is buried in acronyms and tends toward the obfuscatory; basically purporting that a vehicle wrap will substitute for reduced frontal area and a low coefficient of drag. There are also some equally uninformative videos, none offering the sustaining manna of clear understanding. Automotive airflow techniques are at the highest level of practice in racing, and you don't see mottled F1 cars. What those racing cars do sport, however, are other techniques of controlling and manipulating airflow, which are actually effective.

[Source: FastSkinz via MaxGladwell]

New vehicle wraps claim to increase fuel economy by as much as 25% originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 15 Feb 2009 17:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Slide Rule Chic: Edgy can be aerodynamic, too

Dan Roth — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 08:28:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Green, Technology

Click above to view high-res gallery of the Ford Flex

The classic idea of aerodynamics gives rise to mental pictures of vehicles shaped like a smooth suppository. Reality turns out to be different, thankfully. Cars like the Ford Flex may appear weighty and as slippery to the wind as a barn while actually sliding through the atmosphere far more gracefully than one might guess. Aerodynamics studies by all automakers have led to the startling discovery that vehicles like the squared-off Flex actually manage their airflow quite well, thank you, and sanding off the corners hinders, rather than helps.

It's the same over at Toyota where they're calling strategically-placed folds "aerocorners." While it's long been held that a teardrop shape is the most aerodynamic, that's not necessarily the case and a droplet-shaped vehicle isn't terribly practical; just try to put that armoire in your first-gen Honda Insight. The worry that all cars will look the same when aerodynamicists start to take over is unfounded, as discoveries in the wind tunnel show that things aren't always as they appear, and there's plenty of room for uncommon design to still cheat the wind.

Gallery: Review: 2009 Ford Flex

[Source: NYT]

Slide Rule Chic: Edgy can be aerodynamic, too originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 26 Dec 2008 08:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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AeroMotions downforce splitting rear spoiler debuts

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 12:59:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, Tuners, Technology

The faster a car goes, the more downforce its various wings, spoilers and splitters can produce. There's always a trade-off though, as the byproduct of downforce is more drag, which reduces a car's top speed. Supercars like the Bugatti Veyron use active aerodynamics to produce the right amount of downforce for a specific situation like twisty road courses or high-speed runs, but cars like the Veyron are out of reach for most. Enter AeroMotions, a company that promises its rear wing assembly will provide the perfect amount of downforce at all times. The carbon fiber wing is split into two sections, each one moving independently of one another to offer just the right amount of traction. An on-board computer constantly monitors acceleration, braking and lateral acceleration so it can actively change the pitch of the wing's sections in real-time as the car is being driven, effectively giving more or less downforce to whichever side of the car needs it most. AeroMotions' wing is currently undergoing testing, and one of our readers happened to witness it in action in California and was impressed. If anyone's got video of the wing in action, we've got popcorn and are waiting. Thanks for the tip, Vince!

[Source: AeroMotions]

AeroMotions downforce splitting rear spoiler debuts originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 11 Aug 2008 12:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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One MPG is not enough: Automakers desperate to make a gallon go further

Jonathon Ramsey — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 09:33:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Budget, Green, Technology

If anyone were to come along and do an updated version of Dire Straits' "Money for Nothing," the could change the background vocal from "I want my MTV" to "I want my MPG" or "I want my low Cd." Coefficient of drag, that is. Carmakers are taking every step they can, starting with aerodynamics, to give cars better gas mileage right now while they wait for more substantial technologies to come online in the near future.

But the tweaks don't stop with aero finessing. The 2009 Dodge Ram spent 200 hours in the wind tunnel, and it also received tweaks to its ECU, which means it spends more time in its cylinder cutoff mode. That, plus eighty pounds of weight savings, adds up to one more MPG on the EPA sheet. Said Ford's Derek Kuzak, "We need to treat every joule of energy in a vehicle like a precious commodity."

In fact, that song hook could also be "I want my XFE." The Cobalt XFE, developed over 18 months to offer the best gas mileage in the Cobalt line, is selling six percent better than expected. Fuel economy, instead of design, is the number one reason people buy a Cobalt now. And the XFE has the lowest on-the-lot time of any Cobalt model. That's how important the price of gas has become.

[Source: Automotive News, sub req'd]

One MPG is not enough: Automakers desperate to make a gallon go further originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 22 Jul 2008 09:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sticky Fingers: DIY carbon fiber

Dan Roth — Sun, 25 Feb 2007 16:57:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Etc., Technology

Fake trim is for the birds. Of course, there are cost considerations, and a piece of lower-cost injection-molded plastic is a lot cheaper than actual wood, metal, or laboriously laid carbon fiber. Faux trim can be awfully convincing - the metal-look trims in my S60 T5 are a far nicer touch than the faux wood that came in the lesser models. The north-woods car nuts at Hemmings have gotten the scoop on DIY carbon fiber from Vermont SportsCar, the guys that make Subarus fly. Since the learning curve is rather steep, we suggest starting off with interior trim pieces before going toward something more structural.

The process is similar to fiberglass, though a little trickier. You make a sandwich of cloth and resin and then cure it in a cheap and nasty autoclave. Yes, the word autoclave sounds fancy, but it amounts to little more than a cardboard box and a space heater -- incredibly dangerous if you're not paying attention. We like that. The added risk of torching your entire shop will make the completion of your first very crappy parts that much sweeter. Basic parts aren't that expensive to make - Hemmings reports the materials will knock you back about $100 or less. The Vermonters were even kind enough to include a link to a how-to, so if you get good enough, you can cash in by making body parts for all those clapped out Corollas and Civics.

[Source: Hemmings]

Sticky Fingers: DIY carbon fiber originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 25 Feb 2007 16:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MB's next major innovation: Vented Taillights?

Dan Roth — Fri, 09 Feb 2007 13:04:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Technology, Daimler

Back when my whip was a Volvo 740, I ventilated my taillights, too. Actually, it was more like drilling drain holes, but once all the trapped water escaped, you can bet that the compromised seal allowed plenty of air to flow through the lamp. Mercedes has applied intelligent thought to using the taillight as a hidden aerodynamic diffuser on the new C-Class, resulting in a slick Cd of .27. Instead of marring the design with some kind of tacky, nasty lip spoiler on the trunklid, the aerodynamic wunderkinds at MBZ have applied some clever trickery to keep the arse of their newest kostspieliges auto looking slick.

A lip spoiler changes the airflow behind the vehicle by interrupting the smooth flow coming over the top of the car. That interruption reduces lift. The problem with a spoiler, is that they require a specific shape to attain their spoiling effect, dictating styling direction. The C-Class engineers have taken an alternate route to addressing the vortices out back. The taillights act as diffusers, pulling air from underneath the vehicle and venting it out of slits in the lamps. The high pressure air under the car now has somewhere to go, which reduces lift. An elegant alternate solution that achieves the same result as the old spoiler. The air coming out of the taillight lenses also affects airflow along the sides of the car for the better, keeping turbulence behind the new C-Class down. We can't say how close you'll have to ride your bicycle to this thing to get sucked along by the bubble, or how badly it'll mess up your hair when it passes by, what with all that air blowing all over the place, but it sounds like a clever trick.

[Source: worldcarfans]

MB's next major innovation: Vented Taillights? originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 09 Feb 2007 13:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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