[Note: A significantly expanded and updated version of this article can be found here]
That air presented the greatest obstacle to automotive speed and economy was understood intuitively, if not scientifically since the dawn of the automobile. Putting it into practice was quite another story. Engineers, racers and entrepreneurs were lured by the potential for the profound gains aerodynamics offered. The efforts to do so yielded some of the more remarkable cars ever made, even if they challenged the aesthetic assumptions of their times. We’ve finally arrived at the place where a highly aerodynamic car like the Prius is mainstream. But getting there was not without turbulence. (Read More…)
Posted in Design, Editorials, History, Technology
Tagged as 1939 world fair, 1947 studebaker, 1948 hudson, 1953 studebaker, 1966 corvair, 1977 Caprice, aerodynamics, Airflow, aitlfyte, Alfa Romeo, Aptera, audi 100, audi 5000, audi a2, automotive aerodynamics, BAT, belly tank, briggs, buckminster fuller, burney, Cadillac, chaparral, Chrysler, citroen ds, citroen sm, coefficient of drag, disco volante, dkw, dodge charger daytona, dubonnet Ford, dymaxion, ferdinand porsche, ford taurus, futurama, gm ev1, hans ledwinka, history of auto, history of automotive aerodynamics, honda insight, hummer h2, isetta, jaray, jim hall, john tjaarda, lakester, land speed record, lincoln zephyr, lsr, mercedes 300slr, mercury sable, nash, NSU Ro 80, opel calibra, panhard dynavia, Paul Niedermeyer, plymouth superbird, porsche 911 RS, prototype cars, rumpler, saab 92, scarab, stanley steamer rocket, starlight coupe, step down hudson, stout, streamlined cars, streamliners, streamlining, T77, t78, tatra, torpedo, tropfenwagen, tucker, Volkswagen, VW, w124, wimille coupe, world of tomorrow
Tagged as 1939 world fair, 1947 studebaker, 1948 hudson, 1953 studebaker, 1966 corvair, 1977 Caprice, aerodynamics, Airflow, aitlfyte, Alfa Romeo, Aptera, audi 100, audi 5000, audi a2, automotive aerodynamics, BAT, belly tank, briggs, buckminster fuller, burney, Cadillac, chaparral, Chrysler, citroen ds, citroen sm, coefficient of drag, disco volante, dkw, dodge charger daytona, dubonnet Ford, dymaxion, ferdinand porsche, ford taurus, futurama, gm ev1, hans ledwinka, history of auto, history of automotive aerodynamics, honda insight, hummer h2, isetta, jaray, jim hall, john tjaarda, lakester, land speed record, lincoln zephyr, lsr, mercedes 300slr, mercury sable, nash, NSU Ro 80, opel calibra, panhard dynavia, Paul Niedermeyer, plymouth superbird, porsche 911 RS, prototype cars, rumpler, saab 92, scarab, stanley steamer rocket, starlight coupe, step down hudson, stout, streamlined cars, streamliners, streamlining, T77, t78, tatra, torpedo, tropfenwagen, tucker, Volkswagen, VW, w124, wimille coupe, world of tomorrow
Recent Comments
mypoint02 - Good story Thomas. I can definitely relate. I tend to run my cars until they’re just about used up, then sell them. Usually I’m happy just to find a buyer and...
Lorenzo - You should see what the British are doing with theirs (and don’t forget, they drive on the wrong side of the road too): http://www.strangecosmos.co...
Lorenzo - They used to be called rotaries everywhere in America for about a hundred years, until traffic engineers decided to adopt the British “roundabout”...
NMGOM - Hi wmba …… Glad you got to drive and ATS (and let us here know your impressions), but did you also check out a RWD version? Briefly: 1) My comments were...
Doug DeMuro - The roundabout in Atlanta is on the southwest corner of Emory University’s campus, connecting North Decatur and Oxford Road. If you grew up in DC you...
oldyak - Nice view of the reality of life with an ‘old friend’…. Once, my pride and joy,my 1989 SHO Taurus now spends most days languishing in the driveway waiting,and...
oldyak - Beautiful car. I hope someone saves the company and the design. The closest america got to a Alfa Romeo in the purist sense… Now let the Alfa bashing...
Ooshley - I’m no metallurgist but I guess if the differing ore types have complimentary trace element amounts for steel making it’d...
jcwheels - by the way, I’ve been consistenly getting an average of 33mpg with a 70% fwy / 30% city mix, of course, I drive like a...
Mikein08 - I grew up in Washington, DC, where there are many roundabouts (aka “traffic circles” in my day) and so learned about these things early in my...