Necessity and Premises for Reducing the Aerodynamic Drag of Future Passenger Cars

Among the ways to reduce the resistance to motion and, in turn, improve fuel economy for future mass-produced passenger cars, the reduction of aerodynamic drag is the most promising. It is shown that drag reductions of 2 5 % to 35 % are achievable in future mass-produced passenger cars. This indicates that aerodynamics alone can provide a 10 % to 15 % fuel economy improvement in future passenger cars. The development procedures, and the shape and design characteristics which lead to such mentioned drag reductions are described and analyzed in some detail.