cfd aerodynamics composites

Composite competition car body

Most of the drag was frontal area, and the only thing stopping me cutting it was the driver's eyeline.

The problem

An outgoing body shell on a vehicle whose entire purpose is fuel efficiency, where drag is most of what there is to win.

What I did

Ran the whole aerodynamic analysis and shape optimisation for a new generation of car, cutting drag principally by reducing frontal area while holding the driver visibility requirement.

What happened

A predicted drag reduction of nearly 35% against the outgoing car, in CFD.

What I learned

The 35% is a CFD prediction. The body was manufactured but the car never raced it, so the number I would most like to have is track data to put against the model.