Cars of the Future - Part 8

Race Car Aerodynamics by Gale W. Porter

Gale W. Porter, Manager, High Performance Vehicle Dept. Chrysler Corporation

Racing Developments can find their way into future family sedans

Every time two or more race promoters or race car operators get together they talk about the great influence racing has on the development of the housewife's passenger car. <Insert a racerchick scream of "sexist comment"!!!> While this makes for entertaining conversation, it is still a long way from the race car to the family general purpose family vehicle. The little woman just doesn't need what is required in a well-tuned race car. < Insert racerchick scream of protest - who is this guy?>  

Over the years, despite all odds, there have been many new developments in race cars that have found their way into the family sedan and there are more to come. All cars, race or otherwise, have many things in common - they must start, run, steer, and stop. In racing, superhuman effort is applied to do these things a little bit better than the competition to gain the "edge." In passenger cars the same principles apply but the added requirements of appearance, production, and cost must be considered. Probably the biggest "hang-up" in this cross- pollination is communication. The race development information has to get into the hands of the passenger car design and development people so they can apply it to their problems using a different set of ground rules.

 Let's look at a specific example. During the past two or three years there has been a great effort and development on stock car vehicle aerodynamics. This work was directed at two primary targets: the reduction of drag and the use of aerodynamic pressures to improve handling. While there is little question about the advantages in safety of improved handling, decreasing passenger car drag resistance raises some questions. Yet, when we consider that the quest for reduced wind resistance has provided the information necessary to design a car to run more economically at highway speeds, we have obtained a plus. Just think what benefits in conservation of resources would occur if every new car in the United States would obtain from one to four miles per gallon better fuel economy at 60 miles per hour. This type of improvement is within reach. As an added bonus of the better understanding of aerodynamics, it will be possible to, reduce wind noises and their effect on driver fatigue. The next logical question is - how does this information get funneled into the car? Here is where communication comes in. We must now heap an added burden on the stylist and body designer. They are presented with a new group of recommendations along with some "no-no's." Their task is now to blend this new, information with their cost, styling, comfort, production requirements in their new designs - not an easy chore.

There are, of course, many other areas where a redesign of a race developed component will be used in the family car. Some of these changes will be adopted to eliminate or minimize service requirements along with providing increased reliability. The severe race requirements of sustained high power, high speed operation provides a never ending search for improved lubricants and lubricating systems, better cooling systems, more reliable ignition systems, higher capacity brakes, longer wearing tires, lighter weight high strength components and on and on. As the need arises, ways will be found to take advantage of the lessons learned in racing. The passenger car wide-profile tires and disc brakes first appeared in race cars but have been adapted for general use. 

Twenty years from now we may ride in a computer controlled, sealed, climatized, impact reinforced family sedan.<Racerchick comment - he's finally right about something> This car will be aerodynamically designed to minimize wind resistance for fuel economy, and noise for passenger comfort. It will have controlled lift for predetermined wheel and tire loading and improved handling. It may have non-locking ram air cooled disc brakes, an ignition system with no wearing parts and perhaps a sealed cooling system and a pressure type fuel system with a different concept of fuel storage. Instrumentation will be provided that monitors all of the systems and indicates the need for service ahead of requirement. Who knows - a cross-country trip may have to be programmed through a highway central controller who will control traffic pattern, speed, entry, and exit. An in-car scanning system may automatically decrease or stop the vehicle when danger lies ahead. Cars may travel in controlled groups to take advantage of the lower power requirements associated with drafting. This all sounds a little far-out, yet it is all within the scope of today's technology. In 1990 when we are riding in our controlled car playing cards at 100 mph, we may be wondering why it isn't possible to get better, than 30 miles per gallon on a cross-country trip. At this time who is to say which development came from the space program or which came from racing. There is little doubt that racing will have contributed its share

Nika's note:  It's from 1971, it's from 1971 - I keep telling myself that - but to listening to terms like "little woman" I can only say - we've come A LONG WAY racerchicks 

Next on Cars of the Future.....The future interiors