Rapid, Low-Cost, Aerodynamic Development of a High-Performance Sports Car

A two-seat sports car was designed with the initial marketing goal of breaking the Laguna-Seca racetrack record. This study reports the external aerodynamic modifications that resulted in a significant increase in the vehicle's downforce. The main objective of this study is to report about the method used, which was significantly simpler and much faster than traditional methods used by the automotive industry. Because of the simplicity of the tools used (e.g., computations and wind tunnel), valid engineering conclusions could have been reached only by combining these tools.