Covered rear wheel openings
Discussion
Having read the XK120 thread, I was wondering why there have been no cars (bar the Honda electric thingy and several Citroens)which have embraced this aerodynamic aid in this era of efficiency.
Is it because
(a) it's actually counter-aerodynamic in reality
(b) it's too much of a fag to remove it to change a wheel
(c) cost of engineering in a removable panel
(d) brake cooling issues
(e) something else.
I think covered rear arches look extremely elegant and might help sex up some thoroughly blocky designs.
I can think of the DS/GS and SM and some 50s and 60s Jags - any others?
Is it because
(a) it's actually counter-aerodynamic in reality
(b) it's too much of a fag to remove it to change a wheel
(c) cost of engineering in a removable panel
(d) brake cooling issues
(e) something else.
I think covered rear arches look extremely elegant and might help sex up some thoroughly blocky designs.
I can think of the DS/GS and SM and some 50s and 60s Jags - any others?
doogz said:
The BX as well, although i think it just had a removal panel, as well as the ability to pump the suspension up? Could be wrong on all accounts there though.
As for why they aren't designed like that any more, dunno, some of them look great.
The BX didn't have a removable panel, but with the suspension, that wasn't a problem.As for why they aren't designed like that any more, dunno, some of them look great.
I personally like cars with covered/faired-in rear wheels although the original design has to lend itself to this or it just looks wrong/bloated, etc.
Edited for diabolical grammar.
Edited by stewy68 on Thursday 27th January 13:35
They're massively beneficial to aerodynamics; the wheels on a car are one of, if not the biggest source of drag. This is why F1 recently has been mucking about so much trying to cover them over (and once all the avenues are banned, trying to route air over and away from the wheels as much as possible via scoops and sweeping bodywork).
The problem as I think we can all agree is that it looks naff - also one of the reasons that car aerodynamics haven't improved THAT much; we still want our cars to look like cars, and optimising them aerodynamically would have us all driving odd soap bar looking things!
ETA- OwenK (again!)
The problem as I think we can all agree is that it looks naff - also one of the reasons that car aerodynamics haven't improved THAT much; we still want our cars to look like cars, and optimising them aerodynamically would have us all driving odd soap bar looking things!
ETA- OwenK (again!)
Edited by Mrs OwenK on Thursday 27th January 14:31
As far as I remember they used to be called Spats. Pain to remove and replace when changing a wheel, also easy to chip the paint in the process. Plus the lock could rust solid between wheel changes. However if you just gave up refitting them the lines of the car were spoilt.
So, nice on someone else's car. Absolute bugger on your own.
So, nice on someone else's car. Absolute bugger on your own.
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