Drag coefficient

[///M LIFE©]

Does anyone know what bmw model has lowest drag coefficient?

[peytonrm]

I dont know for sure, but I would have to say the 8 series, since it has the wedge shape.

[Filip75]

mine :D

[SI///M3]

Last I heard the E46, but the E65 might have better now...

[Mpowerchic]

sorry for being ignorant, but what is drag coefficient?

[Stylin]

drag coefficient is the rating for how much friction the car causes while slicing through the air... or how smoothly it slices through the air.

[Filip75]

OT: Mpowerchic- NICE PIC :D

drag coefficient is basically LESS drag from the air hitting the car

[PortalBMW]

Originally posted by Filip75
OT: Mpowerchic- NICE PIC :D

drag coefficient is basically LESS drag from the air hitting the car


OT: You cant define a work using the word in a sentence. LOL, jp.

I had to say it.:dunno

[snk328is]

Interesting sorta OT trivia.

Formula 1 cars have a much much higher drag coefficient than any consumer car out there.

The reason being, you need a tremendous amount of drag to keep a car traveling at 300km/h gripped to the ground.

I heard that at a certain speed, F-1 cars have so much downforce that it can be driven upside down. For example, if there was a tunnel that had a smooth ceiling, an F-1 car traveling at x-km/h can drive on the ceiling without falling due to the massive downforce (or I guess it would be upforce) that its aerodynamics have.

[Filip75]

?!?

[Rook]

The Saleen S7 can be driven upside down at 217mph.

But there are different types of drag on the car. your mirrors and oddly shaped front ends produce drag that do not decrease lift in anyway, which is the bad kind of drag. Drag that reduces lift (a la downforce) is the good kind of drag.

The VW Passat has a .27 C/D. That is astoundingly good. The Lexus LS430 has a .26, Best in the industry. This is the most aerodynamic car and it looks like a gigantic brick. This is becuase it has extensive underbody panels which keep the air from getting turbulent while passing over the bottom surface of the car. There are ways to make a car more aerodynamic, the wheel wells provide turblent areas which is why you see the Honda Insight with covers over them, reduce drag and increase gas mileage.

Just remember that just becuase a car has a higher C/D does not necessarily indicate a bad thing, that may mean that it is just more stable at high speeds. The M Coupe, however, has a .37 C/D, not that great, but not terrible, that is becuase the back of the car is not sloped enough and creates a lot of turbulence, not downforce. doh!

Here's a little interesting piece of information.

The Volkswagen Corrado has a lower coefficient of drag than the Ferrari 360 Modena. :-p

[makken]

I'm pretty sure its the new 7 series, at 0.28 or 0.29. The E46's are at 0.31 I believe, it just gets worst from there.

[Rook]

the Z8 is at .42, which is positively TRUCKLIKE.

[DiScoTeknix]

the WilliamsF1 site has this whole Flash thing on their cars.. and they said they can be driven upside down at 200mph or something. Badass.

[v.b.]

Originally posted by DiScoTeknix
the WilliamsF1 site has this whole Flash thing on their cars.. and they said they can be driven upside down at 200mph or something. Badass.

I think mclaren F1 can do that too in a loop...

[NotConvicted]

I have seen video of F1 cars driving upside down in a tunnel on Discovery or TLC (Extreme Machines show maybe?).