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BoostedBrandon
BoostedBrandon SuperDork
3/17/18 4:40 p.m.

We all know that sports cars usually have very good aerodynamics, but what about more pedestrian models? What regular cars have a a low drag coefficient? Prius? B5 Passat?

Keith Tanner
Keith Tanner MegaDork
3/17/18 4:55 p.m.

Loads of clickbait listicles with this info out there. Here's one of the less obnoxious. Just don't try to read the text, it'll cost you IQ points.

 

https://drivemag.com/news/the-most-aerodynamic-cars-you-can-buy-right-now

Short version for current production cars: Mercedes CLA, Audi A4, Priuseses, Teslas, BMW 5 series and amazingly, the Alfa Guilia. There are others, but I'm going to make you click the bait.

Dr. Hess
Dr. Hess MegaDork
3/17/18 5:01 p.m.

LS400.  Really low CD.  Like the same as a Europa low.

Tom_Spangler
Tom_Spangler UberDork
3/17/18 5:12 p.m.
Dr. Hess said:

LS400.  Really low CD.  Like the same as a Europa low.

Whole lot more frontal area, though.

Apexcarver
Apexcarver PowerDork
3/17/18 5:19 p.m.

wasnt the C5/C6 supposedly really good?

loosecannon
loosecannon Dork
3/17/18 5:27 p.m.

How about a Honda Insight?

Datsun310Guy
Datsun310Guy UltimaDork
3/17/18 5:42 p.m.

What’s the question again?

Appleseed
Appleseed MegaDork
3/17/18 6:04 p.m.

I dunno.

DWNSHFT
DWNSHFT Dork
3/17/18 6:21 p.m.

Porsche 924

cd = .32 (or .31-.33 depending where you read)

frontal area = 19.37 square feet

Pretty fantastic for 1976

Dr. Hess
Dr. Hess MegaDork
3/17/18 7:08 p.m.
Tom_Spangler said:
Dr. Hess said:

LS400.  Really low CD.  Like the same as a Europa low.

Whole lot more frontal area, though.

Yeah, I've done teh maths.  Whole Lot More HP too.

 

mazdeuce - Seth
mazdeuce - Seth Mod Squad
3/17/18 7:52 p.m.

You guys made me look it up, cd for a 2003 Accord Coupe is 0.29. 

Which made me look up the Europa, which is also 0.29.

Again, frontal area, but......not bad. 

Stock C5 Corvette? 0.29.

First gen Honda Insight, 0.25.

2018 Prius, 0.24.

2010 Volt, 0.28.

This is fun.

irish44j
irish44j UltimaDork
3/17/18 7:53 p.m.

In reply to DWNSHFT :

beat me to it. I read this post on my phone as I was standing next to my 924S and thought to myself: "this"

 

Then looked over at my e30 and thought to myself "definitely NOT that..."

EDT
EDT New Reader
3/17/18 8:12 p.m.

The W124 Mercedes was down to 0.28. 

Spoolpigeon
Spoolpigeon PowerDork
3/17/18 8:15 p.m.

My Ct200h comes in at .29. Not as good as the Prius, but it’s a flat trade for a better looking car. 

 

My my spyder is .35. Must be those big ass headlights. 

Trackmouse
Trackmouse UltraDork
3/17/18 8:28 p.m.
BoostedBrandon said:

We all know that sports cars usually have very good aerodynamics, but what about more pedestrian models? What regular cars have a a low drag coefficient? Prius? B5 Passat?

Ok, so we listed Cd, but you also asked about aero. Do you also want to know what factory cars have good downforce? If not, I would!

Apexcarver
Apexcarver PowerDork
3/17/18 8:28 p.m.

GM EV-1   0.19

https://www.carfolio.com/specifications/models/car/?car=109186

 

 

Perhaps not regular, but, WOW

RealMiniParker
RealMiniParker UberDork
3/17/18 9:12 p.m.

924 and Europa aren't really "regular" cars. Luxury models stretch regular, too.

I submit the Hyundai Sonata Hybrid, at .24 Cd

Keith Tanner
Keith Tanner MegaDork
3/17/18 9:46 p.m.

Nobody looked at that link of mine, did they? wink

Mercedes CLA and current BMW 5 series - 0.22. That's just astounding, and those are normal cars. Surprisingly, the GTR is 0.26 and the BRZ is 0.27. The Europa/LS400 are around 0.29.

SVreX
SVreX MegaDork
3/17/18 9:56 p.m.

I've gotta offer up the Subaru SVX. 

Cd= 0.29.

In European markets it was 0.285 (larger under tray)

That may not count as a "normal car", but it did have a back seat, and was a mainstream production vehicle. 

jeongyun
jeongyun New Reader
3/17/18 10:57 p.m.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyundai_Ioniq

Hyundai Ioniq has CoD of 0.24

aircooled
aircooled MegaDork
3/17/18 11:16 p.m.

Saturns always “seemed” like they were pretty aero friendly.  Whatever type this one is:

 

mad_machine
mad_machine MegaDork
3/18/18 12:16 a.m.

just for fun.. looked up my Disco. .44. I think a brick is slightly more aerodynamic

yupididit
yupididit SuperDork
3/18/18 2:42 a.m.

In reply to Keith Tanner :

The cla with amg bits is s good looking car. Like a baby cls. Anyways, Mercedes Sindelfingen wind tunnel is pretty cool. 

Hungary Bill
Hungary Bill UberDork
3/18/18 2:43 a.m.

I looked it up.  A smooth brick has a cd of 2.1

Surprisingly the Lamborghini Countach (1974) has a cd of .42.  So your Disco is almost as aerodynamic as a lamborghini! laugh

Hungary Bill
Hungary Bill UberDork
3/18/18 2:46 a.m.

Does an old Tatra count as a regular car?

1938 Tatra T77
 

 

Cd = .212

https://people.rit.edu/pnveme/personal/MECE356/Drag%20coefficients.html

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