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Active Aerodynamics on Cars
Posted: 19 May 2013, 16:20
by LogicPro
While reading about active aero on the McLaren P1, I remembered of a car which had an active device on the diffuser, but I can't remember which car was that one...
It was probably a med-low price car, a hatchback if I'm not mistaken, which was launched 4 or 5 years ago more or less. I indicated on a Veloster this kind of device but I'm sure it was not the Veloster... I thought it was a Hyundai or a Citroen, but I have tried to search it and I can't find it anymore... so maybe it was another brand.
The green "device" lowered while reaching a threshold speed as indicated with the green arrow...
Does anyone know which car was it?
Thanks in advance

Re: Active Aerodynamics on Cars
Posted: 20 May 2013, 12:59
by Kiril Varbanov
Not a Veloster for sure, I've test driven one and the first thing to look at was the fake diffuser.
LaFerrari has active rear diffuser, so is Veyron, but can't really recall anything similar in a mid-range priced car.
Re: Active Aerodynamics on Cars
Posted: 20 May 2013, 16:26
by bucker
Clio RS 3 had diffuser, but it wasn't active. It generated around 70 kg i think
Re: Active Aerodynamics on Cars
Posted: 20 May 2013, 18:41
by LogicPro
I don't know if it's correct to call it an "active diffuser"... it has that kind of device which lowers a bit after reaching a threshold speed; by the way it's not definitely a Veloster, I'm sure it's older...but I can't rember which car was it.
Surely it's not LaFerrari or a McLaren, a Porsche... probably it was not really accurately designed for what concerns aerodynamics, but it had that device. I'm quite sure it was in the low-mid price range.
I'll keep searching, thanks for the replies anyway.
Re: Active Aerodynamics on Cars
Posted: 20 May 2013, 23:53
by gixxer_drew
Most of the japanese "supercars" from the 90s had front spoilers that lowered and/or rear wings that flipped up. Supra RZ, 3000GT VR-4, etc...
Re: Active Aerodynamics on Cars
Posted: 21 May 2013, 08:47
by sriraj1031
Re: Active Aerodynamics on Cars
Posted: 21 May 2013, 18:41
by LogicPro
It's surely more recent than "the 90s" and surely older than the Veloster (by the way I haven't found if the Veloster has a moving device in that area...it's not clear from the pictures)
However, thanks for the replies

Re: Active Aerodynamics on Cars
Posted: 19 Jun 2013, 11:35
by LogicPro
Finally I found that car! Actually it was suggested by a user on another forum.... it's the Citroen C Sportlounge concept in 2005. Actually I didn't remember it was only a concept

And wikipedia says that these lines were used 7 years later on the Citroen DS5.
Some info:
http://www.conceptcarz.com/vehicle/z984 ... ncept.aspx
Moreover I found out about a car with the same kind of idea and I didn't know about it: the Fioravanti Flair from 1996.
http://www.carstyling.ru/en/car/1996_fioravanti_flair/
Re: Active Aerodynamics on Cars
Posted: 19 Jun 2013, 13:52
by machin
the Fioravanti Flair from 1996
Ooo, I like the look of that:-

Re: Active Aerodynamics on Cars
Posted: 19 Jun 2013, 17:21
by flynfrog
I had a Lincoln Mark VIII for a while. It had an auto leveling suspensions that would lower the car at highway speeds to improve aerodynamics and fuel economy.
They ran one pretty much stock on the salt flats to 180+
http://www.markviii.org/LOD2/bonneville.htm
Re: Active Aerodynamics on Cars
Posted: 19 Jun 2013, 17:29
by Pierce89
Sweet ol' cars. I had an old MarkVIII in 1999, when I got my Driver's License. Best driving full size American car I've ever driven, but then again I haven't driven any modern full size Caddie's or that Mercury Marauder from a few years back.
Re: Active Aerodynamics on Cars
Posted: 28 Jun 2013, 23:30
by stez90
C-Sportlounge.. As far as i remember that car had also a sort of virtual spoiler in the rear-end made of compressed air jets and many others aerodynamic features.
Re: Active Aerodynamics on Cars
Posted: 30 Jun 2013, 08:40
by LogicPro
stez90 wrote:C-Sportlounge.. As far as i remember that car had also a sort of virtual spoiler in the rear-end made of compressed air jets and many others aerodynamic features.
You're right:
an electro-mechanical system at the rear of the roof. It consists of micro electro-mechanical systems (MEMs), which create a virtual airfoil by propelling jets of air and substantially improve the vehicle's drag and stability at high speeds.
http://www.conceptcarz.com/vehicle/z984 ... ncept.aspx
That concept car had a lot of clever ideas; perhaps they don't suit that segment of car, but they would be interesting on a light sports car.
Re: Active Aerodynamics on Cars
Posted: 30 Jun 2013, 11:57
by tomislavp4
stez90 wrote:C-Sportlounge.. As far as i remember that car had also a sort of virtual spoiler in the rear-end made of compressed air jets and many others aerodynamic features.
Interesting concept that one. Even though the Cd isn't that great there are some clever ideas on it, the side ducts at the front for example have been lately implemented by BMW in all of their models and they are making quite a noise about it.
Does anyone have a good paper or something explaining in detail those jets of air at the rear?