If a modern aerodynamicist went back to 1992

[hollus]

Asking A. Newey, as fun as it sounds, is likely to return empty handed. Have you considered asking Willem Toet in Linkedin? He has the knowledge, the time, no ties and he seems to be in playful mood too!

[Tim.Wright]

I think the biggest issue you'd have in 92 would be the lack of tools (both hardware and software) to analyse, design and adequately test the aerodynamic solutions that today's designers implement. In other words, I doubt you'd see solutions as complicated as today's because there were not the resources to get parts like this designed and built.

Regarding the suspension - would be hard to imagine anyone using FRIC or tuned mass dampers as active ride was still legal in 1992.

[DiogoBrand]

Something to keep in mind: they didn't have cfd and wind tunnels wouldn't give as much information as today, but they had unlimited testing and I believe unlimited wind tunnel time as well.

[jjn9128]

Are we assuming this modern aerodynamicist is taking a supercomputer loaded with the latest CAD and CFD packages with him/her?

[DiogoBrand]

Are we assuming this modern aerodynamicist is taking a supercomputer loaded with the latest CAD and CFD packages with him/her?

No the supercomputer itself, but all the knowledge he already gathered with the supercomputer.

[gold333]

Are we assuming this modern aerodynamicist is taking a supercomputer loaded with the latest CAD and CFD packages with him/her?

No, just himself/herself. And knowledge gained throughout their career.

I think it's fascinating to see what that car would have been like (still according to 1992 regulations).

[gold333]

Asking A. Newey, as fun as it sounds, is likely to return empty handed. Have you considered asking Willem Toet in Linkedin? He has the knowledge, the time, no ties and he seems to be in playful mood too!

I don't use linked in but feel free to point him to this thread!

[jjn9128]

Are we assuming this modern aerodynamicist is taking a supercomputer loaded with the latest CAD and CFD packages with him/her?

No, just himself/herself. And knowledge gained throughout their career.

I think it's fascinating to see what that car would have been like (still according to 1992 regulations).

My point being that modern engineers aren't taught proper pencil/paper drafting anymore so without CAD they'd (we'd) be lost getting the geometries they want through the workshops. Then there's the CFD issue which is what makes it possible to create the cars we have now - visualizing what is happening in the flow field is what enables us to really push the aero to it's limit.

[Cold Fussion]

It's probably more interesting (and more readily answerable) to contemplate what a car built to the 92 regulations would like if it were designed in 2018. I think even with the 26 years more of aerodynamics understanding it will be difficult to design a car that much more advanced without all the computer tools we have now.

[Big Tea]

Are we assuming this modern aerodynamicist is taking a supercomputer loaded with the latest CAD and CFD packages with him/her?

No, just himself/herself. And knowledge gained throughout their career.

I think it's fascinating to see what that car would have been like (still according to 1992 regulations).

My point being that modern engineers aren't taught proper pencil/paper drafting anymore so without CAD they'd (we'd) be lost getting the geometries they want through the workshops. Then there's the CFD issue which is what makes it possible to create the cars we have now - visualizing what is happening in the flow field is what enables us to really push the aero to it's limit.

Gone is the cigarette packet or bar napkin 'eureka moment'
How do you doodle these days? on a tab? or a spreadsheet?

[jjn9128]

Gone is the cigarette packet or bar napkin 'eureka moment'
How do you doodle these days? on a tab? or a spreadsheet?

One still doodles.

[gold333]

Are we assuming this modern aerodynamicist is taking a supercomputer loaded with the latest CAD and CFD packages with him/her?

No, just himself/herself. And knowledge gained throughout their career.

I think it's fascinating to see what that car would have been like (still according to 1992 regulations).

My point being that modern engineers aren't taught proper pencil/paper drafting anymore so without CAD they'd (we'd) be lost getting the geometries they want through the workshops. Then there's the CFD issue which is what makes it possible to create the cars we have now - visualizing what is happening in the flow field is what enables us to really push the aero to it's limit.

Newey is known for being the last aerodynamicist who still sketches using a pencil and design table.

[strad]

I think the biggest issue you'd have in 92 would be the lack of tools (both hardware and software) to analyse, design and adequately test the aerodynamic solutions that today's designers implement. In other words

.
This is kind of what I was thinking.
Without the tools of today he would still be in a world where it was mostly seat of the pants and trial and error.
They got an idea and tried it. Sometimes it worked and sometimes it didn't.
They had begun to be as sophisticated but no where near what they have at there fingertips today.

[jjn9128]

Newey is known for being the last aerodynamicist who still sketches using a pencil and design table.

I believe Newey started off drawing gearboxes and mechanical components for March.

[strad]

Yep he still uses a pencil and sketches but then he checks it with all the tools available.