When the Challenger concept car was introduced it had not actually had any aerodynamic testing done other than in simulations.

There is only so much software can do.

Any thoughts on how the cars design might change after some aerodynamic testing is done?

Any thermodynamics majors out there?

Jeremiah 29:11

 

I have to disagree with that statement. We design, build CAD models and do wind tunnel testing of multi-million dollar airplanes and helicopters at Boeing everyday.

Our soon to be released Dream Liner the Boeing 787 was 100% CAD modeled and wind tunnel tested using computer software simulation. Once complete it will have completed design, R&D, flight simulation/wind tunnel testing, FAA certification and be in use quicker then any aircraft in history at a very reduced production schedule and cost.

What was the major time and cost savings, computer design and simulation.

Sorry, off my soap box.

 

How aero does that Charger look? NOT! And they built it. Aero will not be a factor, in my opinion it will be built as the concept as far as the body anyway.

 

Gosh, I didn't mean to get such an emotional response.

This text goes with the attached:

Langley Air Force Base, Virginia-

With three years of work behind us, the GTM development team traveled to Langley Air Force base in Virginia to perform aerodynamic testing and analysis on the GTM using the Langley Full Scale Tunnel (LFST). The culmination of our design work in-house and our best race experience would mean nothing without verifying the design in real life, at speed in the tunnel.

The wind tunnel at Langley is MASSIVE. It is the largest currently operating wind tunnel in the world and has been used to test a wide range of racecars from NASCAR stock cars to Grand AM and ALMS prototypes.

All production cars on the road today produce lift and the idea is to minimize this lift.

Comparison data (source Road & Track Magazine):

2004 Porsche GT 343 lbs. DOWNFORCE @ 150 mph

1999 Ferrari 360 Modena 294 lbs. DOWNFORCE @ 150 mph

2005 GTM 333 lbs. DOWNFORCE @ 150 mph



Having a Challenger become significantly lighter due to lift and hence become unstable while going down
a racetrack/highway would be a bad situation.

At the very end of a design you have to do real world Wind Tunnel testing. The difference between the old days and now is you minimize the amount of Wind Tunnel test time.

Any more comments?

Jeremiah 29:11


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If they do, I think a front chin spoiler would look good , maybe even a rear spoiler too. But not to ricer looking.

 

I'm just saying that they are not building a race car or an exotic so areo will not be a big factor because for the most part the majority of these cars will never see high speed, ie. 100mph or higher speeds where lift becomes a factor. Most people will by it because they want a stylish muscle car, more of an image thing than performance even if they purchase one with a V/8. The old Challenger became "spooky" around 120mph but it's front pan tucked well under the car and was a big contributer to lift. I added the chin spoilers to my 73 and the difference was pretty amazing. With the way the front end looks on the concept the front pan is more blunt and shouldn't produce as much lift as the original. The frontal area is taller also but the headlights and grill are not as recessed as the original so it will probably be more "slick" than the original.

 

Sure, I agree but if they are making a 174 MPH car it better be stable at 150 MPH. Even at 100 MPH the last thing you need is to hit a small bump and have the wind catch it with disasterous
consequences. That being said, the look could change with a front/rear spoiler or maybe even lifting the rear end a quarter or half an inch will make a big difference in the PSI of lift and thus changing the look slightly.

Jeremiah 29:11

 

I'm surprised we haven't see some photoshops of front and rear spoilers. Hint hint.

 

Well, I wonder what the final results on the rocker panels were?

 

I'd think that the Challenger is pretty much going to be produced as shown in the spy shots. Lots of Chrysler's models are the farthest thing from aerodynamic and they sell them anyway. Honestly, I think the Challenger looks more aerodynamic than some other models currently in production (namely the Nitro, Charger, Magnum, etc.) so I doubt this will be an issue.