8th Gen Riviera Aerodynamics

Holy crap, I just did a quick search and I came up with this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automobile_drag_coefficients

And there is the 1995 Riviera, right on this list. Riv's got a .32 drag coefficient! I see that the GM EV1 had one of the best drag coefficients of any production car, according to this list.

That list has got to be bullshit. How the hell does a RAV 4 or Scion xB have less drag than a Riv?

Jack the R wrote:

That list has got to be bullshit. How the hell does a RAV 4 or Scion xB have less drag than a Riv?

Much of what determines Cd is upright surfaces on the front of the car. HEadlights, grille, air dam contribute to raising Cd.

Much of what determines CdA is frontal area. Park next to an xB or a RAV4 and if you can look at them side by side straight on from the front u will almost immediately notice the difference of frontal area.

SO the Riv can have a lower Cd, but if A is substantially greater than some other car with a worse Cd then the Riv will have more drag in motion, and take more energy to move at a given speed.

Albertj

That sounds like the Riv should have a lower Cd or CdA than the xB and RAV 4, not higher.

The chart with the Riv on it shoes Cd, not CdA.

You can't really tell Cd by looking a car. The first gen Lexus LS sedan had a phenomenal .29 Cd, but you couldn't tell by looking at it:

Albertj,
I just looked closely at that list again, and the figures Jack the R are referring to are the actual Cd numbers, NOT the combined Cd and area numbers. And I had a similar reaction as Jack did - - How the f**k can those little boxy things have a better Cd than a Gen-8 Riviera? Unless they have REALLY smooth underbellies. (?) I know a full "belly pan" can dramatically cut drag - - it's an old trick at the salt flats (and illegal in most divisions, too!!!!) Does anyone know if that's the case? Because if it's not, I don't get it, either. Another place to make a big difference could be wheelwell design. If they incorporated some modern "trick" there that the Rivi didn't, then - - - - -

The RAV 4 is a jacked up Camry or Corolla, isn't it? IIRC you can see the a-arms hanging reaching down at a ridiculous angle. Plus its got that crossover ride height letting tons of air under the car.