It’s easy to realize that the wheel covers and mud guards were thought out for the best possible drag coefficient, however designs like that can’t really be utilized today, as in that configuration they generate lift.
If you were to design a car that tapers down from the roof into the back, it would generate a big amount of lift in the rear axle, that’s why most cars with that shape, actually require a wing, almost do to safety reasons.
If not the case, the design is reserved to cars where fuel economy is the selling point, like the Prius. This shape probably and unfortunately contributes to the car’s poor low speed handling, since they had to tune it to understeer, so it wouldn’t oversteer once aerodynamics kick in.
I was noticing actually how the fourth gen Prelude has a the rear side quarters tapered into the back and a lifted bottom tail, probably the only way to get a small rear cross section (and for so a great drag coefficient) without the car producing lift (I’m talking bout the bone stock base model, when the are slammed you can barely notice).
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