Active aero?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 135
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From: Florida
Active aero?
Will we see it this generation? Thoughts on why we will or will not see it on higher end variants. Im hoping the zr1 or zora will showcase something on the level of the 720s.
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2004
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From: Western Chicago Suburbs
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2018
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My guess is never. Maybe the Zr1 but statistically it doesn't really do much, which is why the fastest track cars mostly don't use it at all. Kind of a gimmick and looks cool. For a brand like Chevy, I don't think the price point justifies it.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2018
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I disagree. The C7 ZR1 low wing offered 20% less drag than the high wing. Having active aero gives you the best of both worlds depending in the situation.
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Le Mans Master
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From: Austin Texas
b) McLaren F1 had active underbody aero--used to prevent excessive underbody downforce above 180 MPH±.
c) ACO (LeMans) made them both detune the engine and take the active aero off.
d) C8 does not have underbody aero--which is the most likely place to put stuff like this.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2000
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From: North Dallas 40 TX
a) most track cars try to operate under race class rules. Almost none of these rules allow active aero.
b) McLaren F1 had active underbody aero--used to prevent excessive underbody downforce above 180 MPH±.
c) ACO (LeMans) made them both detune the engine and take the active aero off.
d) C8 does not have underbody aero--which is the most likely place to put stuff like this.
b) McLaren F1 had active underbody aero--used to prevent excessive underbody downforce above 180 MPH±.
c) ACO (LeMans) made them both detune the engine and take the active aero off.
d) C8 does not have underbody aero--which is the most likely place to put stuff like this.
Mitch doesn't the C8 Z06 have aero strakes underneath?
Le Mans Master
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From: Austin Texas
The C8 has a clean (but no undertray) underside with a <sort of> diffuser at the rear.
Without the undertray to allow air to flow under the car, the diffuser is "not that valuable".
For real underbody areo -- one needs the underside of the car to be smooth like the top side of an airplane wing.
So, while C8 is massively cleaner underside than <say> C4, it is nowhere as clean (free flowing) as a Ferrari (355, 360, 430, 458,...)
Without the undertray to allow air to flow under the car, the diffuser is "not that valuable".
For real underbody areo -- one needs the underside of the car to be smooth like the top side of an airplane wing.
So, while C8 is massively cleaner underside than <say> C4, it is nowhere as clean (free flowing) as a Ferrari (355, 360, 430, 458,...)
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2018
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The Chaparral 2F (?) had a wing that moved, and was so effective it was outlawed in Can Am. Then Jim Hall created the 2J that had side skirts and a snowmobile engine with fan that sucked the air from under the body. Also too effective (and it threw rocks at the car behind) and outlawed. Racing frowns on active aero and active suspensions. They don't even like flexible aero that flattens as the down force increases limiting downforce and reducing drag the faster you go.
Mitch doesn't the C8 Z06 have aero strakes underneath?
Mitch doesn't the C8 Z06 have aero strakes underneath?
Le Mans Master
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From: North Dallas 40 TX
Yes they do. Underbody Aero Strakes
"As a quick recap, there are essentially three different versions of the 2023 Z06 Corvette as the car will be available as a standard Z06 model without the optional aero package, a standard Z06 with the optional aero package, and the Z06/Z07 with its complete aero package. The underbody strakes are only available with the Z06/Z07 package which also includes the front canards/dive planes, side rockers, and the two-pedestal high wing.
There are four of these aero strakes under the Corvette Z06 that are about five feet in length. Vehicle Performance Manager Alex MacDonald described the aero strakes as “starting out at the front about 1-inch apart from each other, on opposite sides of the centerline, and working back to the sides of the car to exit about the mid-door.” Their function is to remove the air from under the car, which reduces air pressure and increases road-holding. MacDonald calls the inclusion of the aero strakes “free aero; downforce with no drag penalty so we love them!”"
Le Mans Master
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From: Austin Texas
Yes they do. Underbody Aero Strakes
https://pictures.topspeed.com/IMG/cr...5-2_800x0.webp
Which cleans up the entire underside not just adding rails to direct the airflow (although that is a step forward from base C8.)
Burning Brakes
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Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2013
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Don’t confuse a clean/flat underside with air diverter strakes with a proper underbody aero with diffuser. GM wants people to be able to drive theses cars and hit road imperfections and not be out thousands. A full tunneled floor with a real expansion chamber diffuser is expensive if you run over something.