The Best Aerodynamics: Separating Fact from Fiction

When it comes to cars with the best aerodynamics, many people assume a wedge shape, teardrop design, or fastback lines are the key features. However, the answer is not what you might think.

Aerodynamics play an extremely important role in speed, performance, and handling, and they can also make a car look really cool. But looks can be deceiving, and car shapes that appear to cut through the air may actually have horrible aerodynamic properties.

In this video, we will explore how aerodynamics work, how they've evolved over time, and what happens when you take aerodynamics just a little too far. We'll also look at some of the most truly insane concepts that were banned from racing.

Aerodynamics 101: The Basics

To understand aerodynamics, we need to think of them as two separate forces. The first is friction, which matters less than you might think. Otherwise, we'd be obsessed with getting our cars all nice and oily to help them slip through the air easier.

The second, much more important force is turbulence, all that air jostling around a car's nooks and crannies, slowing it down. The smoother a car's airflow is, the less turbulence, and that's why truly aerodynamic cars have features like fully enclosed underbodies, flush headlights, and body panels that don't disrupt air as much.

The Main Tool of the Trade: Drag Coefficient

The main way we quantify all this is through a score called the drag coefficient. The lower the drag coefficient, the more aerodynamic a car is. Currently, the Mercedes A-Class sedan has a drag coefficient of 0.22, the lowest drag coefficient of any production car currently on the market.

On the other side of the spectrum, we have the Hummer H2 at 0.57 - that's bad! But where did this hunger to go with the flow all start?

A Brief History of Aerodynamics

Our aerodynamic journey begins with a little steam-powered number called La Jamais Contente in 1898. This was a full 10 years before the Model T and 103 years before Post Malone was born.

La Jamais Contente is French for "never content," and it's a great example of how far we've come in understanding aerodynamics. Fast forward to today, and we have cars with incredible drag coefficients that make them some of the most efficient vehicles on the road.

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The Future of Aerodynamics

As we explore the world of aerodynamics, we'll see some truly insane concepts that were banned from racing. But how did we get here? And what happens when we push the boundaries of aerodynamics just a little too far?

Stick around to find out as we dive deeper into the fascinating world of aerodynamics.

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WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: en- Quick, when you think of a carthat has the best aerodynamics,what car do you think of?A wedge car, a teardrop, a fastback maybe?Well, the answer is probablynot what you're thinking.Aerodynamics play anextremely important rolewhen it comes to speed,performance, and handling,and they can also make a carlook really freaking cool.(driving music)But looks can be deceiving,and car shapes that appearto cut through the airmight actually have horribleaerodynamic properties.In this video, we're gonnasee how aerodynamics work,how they've evolved overtime, and what happenswhen you take aerodynamicsjust a little too far.Stick around to see some ofthe most truly insane conceptsthat were banned from racing.Hey everyone, today's episodeis brought to you by manscaped.com.We all know what it's like, right?One moment you're mowing the grass,getting it ready for a big night,the next thing you know, you hit a stick.(branch cracks)(screams)The pain, the embarrassment, the shame.Well, worry no more, becauseManscaped has createdthe world's firstall-in-one manscaping kitthat makes manscaping safe and easy.I'm excited to be one ofthe first in the worldto receive the new Lawn Mower 3.0,water-resistant body hair trimmer,the only trimmer on the marketmade with advanced skin-safe technologywhich reduces nicks and cutsfrom manscaping accidents.I genuinely cannot stop talking aboutthe new Lawn Mower 3.0.Everyone in the office istired of me talking about itin our group chat whenI should be working.But you know what?I'm just happy that I'mable to do shower trimsthanks to the water-resistance, okay?I'm happy about it.So keep your lawn trimmed and in shape,get 20% off and freeinternational shipping,plus two free gifts,when you use promo codedonut20 at manscaped.com.My balls thank me, and yours will too.I actually really love Manscaped,thank you so much forsponsoring this episode,I think it's a great product,and I think you guysshould treat yourself.Treat your balls.To understand aerodynamics,we need to think of themas two separate forces.The first is friction,which matters less than you might think.Otherwise, we'd be obsessedwith getting our cars all nice and oilyto help them slip through the air easier.And since Land O'Lakes Racing Butterisn't our sponsor today, it's safe to saythat friction is not theonly major factor in aero.(gun cocks)The second, much moreimportant, force is turbulence,all that air jostling arounda car's nooks and crannies,slowing it down.The smoother a car's airflowis, the less turbulence,and that's why trulyaerodynamic cars have featureslike fully enclosedunderbodies, flush headlights,and body panels thatdon't disrupt air as much.(gun cocks)The main way we quantify all thisis through a score calledthe drag coefficient.The lower the drag coefficient,the more aerodynamic a car is.Currently, the Mercedes A-Class sedanhas a drag coefficient of .22,the lowest drag coefficientof any production carcurrently on the market.On the other side of the spectrum,the brick-on-wheels side,we have the Hummer H2 at .57..57 is bad.Now that we know thebasics of aerodynamics,where did all this hunger togo with the flow all start?(gun cocks in slow-motion)(speaks in slow-motion)(high-intensity music)(beeps)In 1898, a full 10 yearsbefore the Model T,and 103 years before Post Malone was born,our aerodynamic journey begins witha little steam-powered numbercalled La Jamais Contente.I know I butchered that,you don't have to tell me,I'm just gonna butcher all your languagesif that's okay with you guys.La Jamais Contente is Frenchfor "never satisfied".That's right, theynamed a car after my ex.This vehicle is straightout of Mario Kart.It weighed 3,200 poundsand had 62 horsepower,which was like 2,000 horsepower back then.The Jamais Contente ismost famous for beingthe first car to go over100 kilometers per hour.And while its designis impressively streamlined for the time,a lot of its aerodynamic design was ruinedby the driver basicallysitting on top of it.This was before innovationslike wind tunnel testing;they mostly went with what looked fast.And I gotta admit, I kinda want one.- Reloading!- As car manufacturingbecame a major industry,carmakers started to getinterested in streamlined designs.The first attempt at astreamlined mass-produced carwas the Rumpler Tropfenwagen,produced from 1921-25,and it had a drag coefficient of .28.Also, it's maybe the most funcar name to say of all time.Try it out: Rumpler Tropfenwagen.It's German for drop car, sonamed for its teardrop shape.The Tropfenwagen narrowedso sharply at its nosethat there was only room forone person in the front row.Despite how literallycutting-edge this car was,it was a flop, with only about100 of them being produced.By the time we got to the 30s,aero was becoming a muchbigger part of car design,and we started to see theinfluence of art deco designas cars started takingmany of their design cuesfrom the sleek, sculpted steelof the world of aeronautics.We started to see stuff likefins and sloping wheel wells.A lot of it was still more about looksthan true aerodynamic design,but the intent was still there.In the 30s, Hans Ledwinka and Paul Jeray,the latter of whom alsodrew up freaking zeppelins,designed the Tatra 77.The Tatra went beyond mere streamlining,with a drag coefficient of .2455.It was the first mass-produced car to betruly, scientifically,aerodynamically tested.Jeray used wind tunnelsthat were initially builtto aerodynamically test,what else, but zeppelins,to develop the design of the Tatra.The Tatra would alsoinspire Ferdinand Porscheto develop the Volkswagen Beetle,and by inspire, I mean completely rip off.You can learn more about the controversyin our Past Gas series on the Beetle.While we're in pre-war Germany,I present to you the Schlörwagen,a 1939 prototype nicknamed the "aeropill",because it looks like a pill-bug.I guess.It had a mind-blowingdrag coefficient of .113.It was an incredible car,aside from the terriblevisibility, cooling,and vulnerability to tippingover from crosswinds.Hmm.By the 50s, aerodynamicdesign was mainstream.Decades before the Nintendo DS,the French gave us theincredible Citroën DS.DS is short for goddessbecause DS sounds like déesse.When it was unveiled at the1955 Paris Motor Show of 1955,it received 80,000 orders in 10 days,a record for initial ordersthat stood for 61 yearsuntil the launch of theTesla Model 3 in 2016.The DS would stay inproduction until 1975.The body of the DS was as significantfor what it didn't haveas for what it did,with frameless doors and acomplete lack of a grill.Also it had the most aerodynamicsteering wheel of all time.This thing is awesome.(metal music)If there's anything YouTuberslike me want to be in life,it's a musician.Unfortunately, I have no talent.(guitar playing)But I won't let that stop mefrom making my own band shirt.(metal music)I'm super stoked that WheelHousefinally has its own shirt,and I'm double stoked on how it came out.I really wanted our shirtto emulate some of my favorite bands.It's got a haunted house on it'cause it's WheelHouse,and I'm a spooky boy.(metal music)Also, there's a lot ofWheelHouse Easter eggsincluded on the shirt.Definitely a melk referenceon there somewhere,you gotta look for it though.I love the shirt, I love howit came out, and you will too.You can get it on ourstore, donutmedia.com,and live out all of yourheadbanger fantasies.(metal music)(guitar playing)There's one type of carthat always gets brought upwhen talking about aerodynamics,and most of these cardesigns were done by one man.I'm talking about Giorgetto Giugiaro,a man with a beautifulname only transcendedby his beautiful wedge cars.Giugiaro's aesthetic wasnicknamed "folding paper",so called because his cars looked likethey had been shaped out of origami.Giugiaro introduceda whole new interpretationof aerodynamics,replacing the previoustrend of rounded edgeswith sharp, angular, geometric designsthat were intensely futuristic.Giugiaro designedcountless incredible carsfor pretty much every European carmaker.Chances are, he designed oneof your bucket list cars.From the Maserati Ghibli,to the BMW M1, to the Lotus Esprit,to the incredibly "Back to theFuture"-istic DMC DeLorean,to the incredibly sexy,breathtakingly sleek Volkswagen Golf.Oh man, soak it all in.Seriously though, this guydesigned pretty much everything.He was even hired bypasta producer Barillato design his own shape of pasta,the Marille, drag coefficient unknown.I'm still waiting for Barilla to pay mefor my pasta design, the Wooshy Boy.It's pasta shaped like...It's a Turbo.That'd actually be pretty good.Yum.Unlike his pasta,Giugiaro's influenceon car design lives on.His wedge shapes arestill hugely influentialon modern luxury cars that are looking forthat sharp, knife-through-the-air look.If you want further evidence,look no further than the Tesla Cybertruck.His signature style remains shorthandfor futuristic, aerodynamic excellence.(sighs)Okay, I know that was allsuper freaking inspiring,and you're welcome,but there's one kind ofgiant caveat to all this.These sleek cars weren'tactually that aerodynamic.It turns out nature knows what it's doing.More organic shapes like the teardropare more naturally aerodynamic.Sharp edges contribute toturbulent wind patterns,which slow the car down.The BMW M1, for example,has a mediocre .40 drag coefficient.To put that in perspective,a Toyota Sienna minivan comes in at .30.So now that we're reachingthe modern age of cars,what actually makes a car aerodynamic?This whole time we've beenthinking about aerodynamicsas simply car versus windas it travels horizontallythrough the air.But what if a car's design could actuallyuse the wind to its advantage?Well, that's where downforce comes in.Downforce is the increasedvertical downward forceon the tires of the car,which gives it bettertraction, especially in turns.At lower speeds, downforceisn't that important.However, the faster you get,the more crucial downforce becomes,and that's when we get intothe magical realm of ground effects.(big bang music)In the mid-60s, designers introducedthe most basic ofdownforce elements: wings.At first, they were mountedhigh above the chassisto take advantage of wind that hadn't beenwhipped around by the body of the car.But that proved to beincredibly dangerous,as you might imagine,as the wings could get rippedoff and cause collisions.Check out the wing onSarah's LeMons Miata.It's inspired by the samedesign, and it's high as hell.Check out this Bumper toBumper episode about it.In 1967, Lotus became the first teamto install a spoiler on a Formula 1 car.The next significantmilestone in aerodynamicswas made possible by Lotus as well.After they struggled in the 1977 season,Colin Chapman wrote a 27-page paperfilled with ideas onhow to create downforce.He realized he could take the designof a fighter bomber'swing-mounted outlets,and simply turn that design upside downand use it to createdownforce on a race car.When the team startedtesting different designs,they realized that, as thespeed of the car increased,the underbody got drawncloser to the road,which, due to the Bernoulli effect,increased the downforce to insane levels.Don't know what the Bernoulli effect is?Don't worry, I gotcha.(cows mooing)(classical music)Real quick explanationof the Bernoulli effect.Very simply,as the speed of a fluidincreases, pressure decreases.Air under a car acts as a fluid,so the faster the air moves under it,the lower the pressure under the car.You got a high pressurezone on top of the car,low pressure underneath,that creates suction,which draws the body ofthe car to the groundand puts pressure on those tires.Soon, teams were racing off the trackto develop new ground effects,with racing rule makershot on their heels,banning most adaptations asthey were being developed.Williams' F1 essentiallydesigned the entire FW07 chassisto be a giant ground effects generator.One major advantage was little skirtsthat intentionally touchedthe ground at all times,keeping that suction underneath the car.Another notable car was theBrabham Alfa Romeo BT46B fan car,which utilized a horizontal fan.Brabham claimed that thefan cooled the engine,but in reality it reduced airpressure underneath the car,effectively sucking it to the track.Other racers complained that the fanwas blowing debris onto their faces,and when another carleaked oil on the track,it seemingly gave the fancar an unbeatable advantageas it could exert enough downforceto essentially negate theslippery effect of the oil.That's freaking sick.The fan car lasted for just three racesbefore Formula 1 caught upand banned so-called fancar designs altogether.(gun cocks)So, with all these admittedlynecessary safety regulationskind of throttling Formula1 and other racing leagues,where could a race fan turn toif they wanted to seewhat cars would look likeif they took advantage of all thesenewly-developed, aerodynamic advantages?The answer was the Can-Am Challenge Cup,which ran from 1966 to 1987.In that time, Can-Am cars were often timedwith faster laps than theirFormula 1 counterparts.They were governed by what wascalled group 7 regulations.These rules were basicallythat there were no rules.No rules on engine size,no rules on vehicle weight,no rules on turbochargers, superchargers,everything was basically allowed,you just have to addseatbelts and wear a helmet.And as for ground effects,you guessed it, there were no rules.The McLaren team was especially dominantin the early years of Can-Am.Instead of resorting to gimmicks,their cars were knownfor their refined designsand extensive fine tuning.Tragically, Bruce McLaren was killedas he was testing the Can-Am McLaren M8D,as the rear body workseparated from the car,causing it to lose downforceand spinning him into a flag station.Bruce was a pretty iconicfigure in Formula 1,if you'd like to learnmore about his life,check out our serieson McLaren on Past Gas.It's three parts long,and it's really good,I think you should check it out.In later years,the Porsche 917 was anespecially dominant car,with over 1500 horsepowerthat sucked up so much gasthat even Can-Am had to changetheir rules for fuelefficiency in response.Just look at this thing.That's a lot of downforce.Perhaps the strongest contenderfor aerodynamics innovationin the Can-Am erawas (stutters)...Was (stutters)...Chaparral Race Cars, foundedby Hap Sharp and Jim Hall.They aggressively pushed theenvelope of aerodynamic design.Their crowning achievementwas the original 2J,not to be confused with the 2JZ,a race car that employed two engines.A massive Chevy drove the car,while a secondary engine thatthey took out of a snowmobilepowered two fans located at the 2J's rear.These fans sucked the airout from underneath the car,which was effectively vacuum-sealedby these skirts on the side,essentially suction-cuppingthe car to the road.Pretty freaking sick.The 2J was too crazy even for Can-Am,and would be banned shortlyafter its introduction,and then made its wayinto "Gran Turismo 4"as a really fun car to drive.All these advances in sciencewould continue to cause headachesfor racing associations tryingto bring the safest, fairest,and most excitingentertainment to race fans.Which brings us to (coughs)...dirty air.If you follow Formula 1,you've probably heard of dirty air by now.Remember way back atthe start of this video,when I mentioned that turbulencewas the most importantfactor in aerodynamics?(car revving)If a car can avoid creatingunnecessary turbulence,it's naturally more aerodynamic.But what if the air hittingthe car is already turbulent?Behind each race car is anarea of turbulence, dirty air.This reduces the abilityof the chasing carto generate downforce and grip its tiresto the ground as effectively.The more cars you're behind,the more you're going to sufferthe effects of dirty air.And when it's harder to catchup, that means worse racing.The solution?Well, theoretically,making these cars lessreliant on downforcewould make dirty air less of a problem.But downforce is also what makes a carso aerodynamic and fast.It's a paradox, and one that Formula 1is still grappling with today.Over here in the states, IndyCar gotaround the dirty air problemby designing their carsto make more downforcefrom ground effects,and we can expect Formula 1to do the very same in 2022.Huh, I managed to explain dirty airwithout doing a fart joke.Not to toot my own horn or anything.- Boom!- So, we've raced all theway through the 20th century,and now we're back to today.What's the state ofmodern car aerodynamics?Well, well...Well... (chuckles)Well, have you ever noticed thatall cars on the roadtoday kinda look the same?It turns out that dedicating your designto lowering thatall-important drag coefficientis, well, kind of a drag,and that's because, in theirquest to improve mileage,car manufacturers are being drawn towardsthe same scientific principlesof aerodynamic design.Essentially, every cartoday is a Tropfenwagen,aka a teardrop car,because they all follownature's ideal aerodynamic design.As a raindrop falls vertically to Earth,it forms the shape of least resistance,and that, in turn, is the idealshape for an aerodynamic caras it drives horizontally across land.On the plus side,even the un-flashiestof consumer cars todayare incredibly aerodynamiccompared to their predecessors.The new challenge for auto designersis to find innovative and new variationson what we now know to be thebest, ideal aerodynamic shape.Also, in the futurewe could have renewableenergy so plentifulthat we could forget aboutdrag coefficient altogetherand just build whatever looks cool.We could be driving on Mars,where the air is 100 times thinner,no air resistance to worry about.But me personally, I wannalive underwater like SpongeBob,and have to deal with some aquadynamics.I'm gonna get my boater's licenseand drive a hamburger car.All right, I hope you enjoyedthat episode on aerodynamics.I think I learned alot, I hope you did too.If you haven't subscribed to Donut yet,please consider it, itwould really help us out.And check out our podcast, Past Gas,on its other channel, Donut Podcasts.Follow Donut on social media @donutmedia,follow me @nolanjsykes.Be kind, I'll see you next time.(beep)Influence of art deco on cars.(farts)And we started to see the...