Thank you for bringing this subject up. It is a thread along the vein of one that I wanted to start so I am piggybacking here. Hope nobody minds.
I have been thinking skin friction may be something to look at, but figured automotive paint was good already. I do think most cars "transitions" could use a little attention (e.g. hood to windshield, windshield to trunk lid, side to wheel well, etc).
1.) Wouldn't a well designed hood to windshield transition with hidden wipers save a lot more than special made low power wipers? Hopefully the wipers will be protected from air flow.
2.) The photoshop folks would need to mock this up to see how it will look, but chamfered entries from the sides to the wheel well may look interesting and lower the Cd. This might "soften" the turbulence at the front of the wheel well and reduce the pressure by directing flow out to the side of the car at the rear of the well. Another idea would be to offer wheel well skirts for the rear wells as an OPTION. Don't buy it if you don't like it. I probably would not opt for skirts, but would need to see visual to say for sure.
3.) Pinch down the hood in the center of the cockpit. Since they have decided on a 4 seater, the headroom in the center is needed. This would not reduce the Cd much but it would be a nice little reduction to the frontal area (note, drag is a function of Cd, frontal area, and velocity). I think this may even add to the desing appeal too, but again would need see a visual on this as well.
I have been thinking skin friction may be something to look at, but figured automotive paint was good already. I do think most cars "transitions" could use a little attention (e.g. hood to windshield, windshield to trunk lid, side to wheel well, etc).
1.) Wouldn't a well designed hood to windshield transition with hidden wipers save a lot more than special made low power wipers? Hopefully the wipers will be protected from air flow.
2.) The photoshop folks would need to mock this up to see how it will look, but chamfered entries from the sides to the wheel well may look interesting and lower the Cd. This might "soften" the turbulence at the front of the wheel well and reduce the pressure by directing flow out to the side of the car at the rear of the well. Another idea would be to offer wheel well skirts for the rear wells as an OPTION. Don't buy it if you don't like it. I probably would not opt for skirts, but would need to see visual to say for sure.
3.) Pinch down the hood in the center of the cockpit. Since they have decided on a 4 seater, the headroom in the center is needed. This would not reduce the Cd much but it would be a nice little reduction to the frontal area (note, drag is a function of Cd, frontal area, and velocity). I think this may even add to the desing appeal too, but again would need see a visual on this as well.
