The "aerodynamics" exhibit at the Petersen.

Coefficient of drag.


1937 Delage had a long hood, fenders and teardrop rear. The big flat radiator raised the CoD, but what a beauty...


1965 Citroen DS was the sleekest of its day with a 0.37 CoD.


1969 Dodge Charger Daytona had a 0.28 CoD. The tall wing allowed the trunk to open.


Worked OK at the track, not a big hit with the public.


The 1940 BMW 328 MM Kamm Coupe had a 0.25 CoD.


The key was its sharply truncated rear. This is a replica as all 5 originals were hidden and lost in Germany.


1948 Fiat 1100S had a 0.45 CoD, helped by its long roofline.


1936-37 Mercedes-Benz 170H had a 0.51 CoD, helped by the rear-mounted engine which eliminated the front radiator.


The 1937 Lewis Airomobile thankfully found no investors and did not progress past the prototype stage, though it could go 80 MPH and get 43 MPG.


The world's ugliest car?


1938 Delahaye Type 135M Competition Roadster had fenders and integrated headlights. Only 3 survive.


1928 Martin (Aviation) Aerodynamic had covered rear wheels and tapered body, allowing it to get 107 MPG. Never accepted by the public at the beginning of the Depression.




1957 Moto Guzzi V-8 has a CoD of 0.48.




1939 Lakester Meteor was built for dry lake racing.


It went 104 MPH at Muroc in 1940. One of the few pre-war racers to survive in original condition.


1971 McLaren M8E had a CoD of 0.65. It had a large wing to exert downforce and keep the car from sliding in turns.


(Another earlier version had a suction device, later ruled illegal).


The 2001 M-Pulse has a smooth CoD of 0.11, helped by a design that did not have to worry about more than one passenger, or luggage space.


Built by the University of Michigan, it won the 2,300-mile solar-powered American Solar Challenge.


The 1994 Bugatti EB110 had a CoD of 0.30 due to advanced ground effects and a special rear wing.


Company founder Ettore Bugatti would have been 110 years old when the 552-HP, 210-MPH EB110 was debuted in 1991.


1955 Ghia Streamline X has a CoD of 0.20.




The current owner installed the turbine engine it was designed for but built without.






Pentax World Challenge, 1988 Solar Cup.

[Na Horuk]

haha, some of those cars look so crazy! Others are really great. Cool shots you took, thanks for sharing. Also, I like the Pentax logos on that last one

[Bob Harris]

Very nice series Kyle, some really unique vehicles in this thread, some would cause a double take when passing by.

[Kozlok]

A very nice series.

[Jean Poitiers]

Great series - TFS - J

[Eric Auer]

Nice!!

All great but the Citroen and the Guzzi were my favorites. (And the BMW....A little bit )

[SpecialK]

Thanks for all the comments. I think I would like to drive the EB110 :-)

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Last edited by SpecialK; 03-05-2013 at 07:01 PM.

[cardinal43]

I rode in a Citroen a couple of times when I lived in Germany in the 70's & 80's, and they were smooth riding, albeit butt ugly, cars.

[Na Horuk]

Citroen - smooth riding,

I bet they were smooth, they probably had hydraulic suspension! One Citroen I rode in was like a boat on slow, rolling waves

[volley]

Thanks for posting this series!
Ahhh, the Citroen! What a great ride (many years back though)!

[SpecialK]

I bet they were smooth, they probably had hydraulic suspension! One Citroen I rode in was like a boat on slow, rolling waves

Thanks for posting this series!
Ahhh, the Citroen! What a great ride (many years back though)!

Hydropneumatic self-leveling suspension system with adjustable ride height :-)

[Jean Poitiers]

I see a DS every now and then in Poitiers ... There's a beige one which is like show-room new ... maybe I'll get a photo of it someday ... J