[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
bigtruckseriesreview @ Youtube - The auto industry has only the alarmingly increasing number of natural disasters to thank!
Fordson - I don’t think they compete – with the RR, you have to care only about how you look driving it. With the QX56, you have to care NOTHING...
Brendan McAleer - I love the “powered by Porsche” on the header too. Here’s a great interview with a semi-local owner. Guy has a fantastic car...
ToxicSludge - Putz is only interested in money,not integrity.
manbridge - Cool, I’ll search for that article as I like techy content.
kkt - Largest American nation by square miles is Canada. Canada has the 2nd largest area of countries in the world, after Russia.
kkt - The ragtop saves trunk space. It’d be nice to take this car off for a weekend and have enough room for a suitcase with a change of clothes.
Fordson - And yet there is the fact that the best Bentleys, as actual automobiles, are the Continental and Flying Spur. And It’s BECAUSE they are...
Lampredi - Seriously? Muller didn’t even understand that he had to find non-Chinese investors in order to save...
Junebug - OK, if I’m reading this right, RR is more expensive, more likely to break more often and has only as good or worse interiors as other lux...