Automobiles are marvels of technology today. Systems that enable advanced engineering calculations provide important data on how the most ideal car should be. Brands can also act in line with the calculations and produce both stylish and highly efficient cars.
One of the things that makes a car efficient, as you can imagine, is aerodynamics. The deterioration of aerodynamics, which is critical for automobiles, directly affects almost every aspect from driving comfort to fuel. Let’s put this aerodynamics issue on the table.
Aerodynamics can be explained in language that everyone can understand: The flow of air over something with the least amount of force.
The better the aerodynamics of an object, the lower the inefficiency caused by the airflow. It was already known that the weather affects everything that moves. Engineers working on the automotive industry were also aware of this. In particular, the passion for speed led engineers to turn more towards aerodynamic calculations.
In 1899, a car named La Jamais Contente was designed. This car was “ugly” in terms of its design. However, it had a unique feature. La Jamais Contente was the first car to break the 100 km/h speed limit. He owed this feature to aerodynamic calculations.
La Jamais Contente was revolutionary for the automotive industry. All the engineers who heard about this vehicle took action to make faster cars. The Stanley Steamer Rocket, produced in 1906, was the first automobile to exceed 200 km/h.
The La Jamais Contente and the Stanley Steamer Rocket were special cars. The first study for individual consumers was made by a bus manufacturer named Castagna. Using the Alfa Romeo infrastructure, the 1914 model car was slow despite being aerodynamic. Because it had a heavy body in general. It didn’t happen this time either…
The Tropfenwagen car, produced in 1921, was truly aerodynamic. Having a friction coefficient of 0.28, Tropfenwagen offered a friction coefficient that Volkswagen Passat could not offer until 1988. However, this car did not last long. Technical difficulties with the steering wheel and engine led to the cessation of production of the car with the friction number, which is considered good even today.
While the industry was looking for a solution to the aerodynamics problem, this time a Hungarian named Paul Jaray stepped in.
Originally an aeronautist and designing zeppelins, Jaray developed a special formula in 1922 and was able to find the ideal design needed to provide aerodynamics. This design looked like the one above.
Jaray’s ideal aerodynamic design had odd proportions, as you can see above. Yes, vehicles with this design were good in terms of aerodynamics, but they did not look good. Many brands, especially Mercedes-Benz, Maybach and Opel, managed to update the Jaray design and more stylish looking cars emerged.
Over the years, many cars with similar designs have been produced. In 1934, a revolutionary development took place. Czech automaker Tatra managed to see a friction coefficient of 0.21 in its car, which it named T77. This was very important. Because at that time, when aerodynamics was not on the agenda, no one else could produce a car with such a low coefficient of friction. Until 1939, that is.
Tatra also used aerodynamics as a marketing tool. The photo below is the best example of this. It was impressively illustrated how cars with poor aerodynamics were blocked by the air:
In 1939, a prototype car called the Schlörwagen was developed.
This car was built to showcase the ultimate in aerodynamics. With a coefficient of friction of 0.15, the car remained the most aerodynamic car in history until 1985. Ford Probe V, produced that year, broke Schlörwagen’s record with a friction coefficient of 0.13. However, both models remained as concepts. It never went into mass production.
Ford Probe V with a friction coefficient of 0.13 looked like this:
The mass production car named EV-1, launched by General Motors in 1995, enchanted the consumer with a friction coefficient of 0.19. This vehicle was also unique for its era. Also, it was electric. However, the EV-1, which was called “the end of oil” at that time, was unfortunately destroyed after 800 units were produced.
After the 2000s, companies began to follow each other’s footsteps and emphasize other features rather than aerodynamics. The friction coefficient generally ranged from 0.21 to 0.30. Mercedes-Benz, on the other hand, managed to see a friction coefficient of 0.200 in its electric car called EQS. This figure is chased by the Tesla Model S with a drag coefficient of 0.208.
- Sources: The Truth About Cars, Curbside Classic, Wikipedia, Mercedes-Benz
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