dude did you see mythbusters last night

[Prelude_!n_7h3_D!r7]

they put golfball type dimples over a car and improved it 3mpg from 26mpg(smooth car)

I wonder how long its going to be till its in F1

[kegaration]

lets hope rust works the same way

[Loren]

Just watched it. That was cool as hell! Makes me want to take a ball peen hammer to the Yaris...

[BAMF]

How is that possible? Smooth = less drag. Its the reason the Veyron can do 250+. Anyone understand the physics behind it that can enlighten me?

[Loren]

Same physics as a golf ball, they explained it quite well on the show.

The Veyron has a very aerodynamic shape. Probably doesn't need and wouldn't benefit from dimpling. A less-aerodynamic shape, something that doesn't come to a teardrop point in the rear... like the typical sedan or hatchback (or a golf ball), has a turbulent area behind it. Disrupting the "boundary layer" or air on the surface with dimples (or something else) reduces the turbulence behind the car and produces less drag.

That's about the best explanation I can give.

[redinjuns]

I haven't noticed any improvement in the colorado since my hail incident, but that only got the upper surfaces.

[FrodoGT]

Also the dimples are small enough to allow the air to "skip" over the holes, but not be disrupted by them so the air does not create drag in those spots and overall acts as if there is less surface to have drag on. Even a smooth surface generates drag, but a dimple is as if that spot wasnt even there.

Also I seem to recall about 7 years ago I think it was mercedes that employed a full dimpled plate to the undercarriage of a car for drag reasons.

[Lime_Green_Hatch]

i saw it, would have never thought that would have been true

[Miyako-chan]

im driving golf balls from now on