The Dodge Viper ACR Creates So Much Downforce It Reduces MPG While Being Towed.!!
We
so often talk about aerodynamics in the sense of reducing a
vehicle's drag coefficient, but as anyone who watches racing knows, it's
also important for creating downforce, which is essentially just drag
with a purpose.
No kidding, Andrew,
some of you are surely thinking. I know, this isn't exactly news to
many, but I point it out because I want to talk about a neat little
tidbit I learned the other day while discussing the Viper ACR's 13 track records and Extreme Aero package with Jeff Reece, vehicle development manager for the Viper.
While
the Viper's various aerodynamic features are great for hurtling
around the racetrack—the ACR creates more than 1700 pounds of
peak downforce—they also result in a very high drag coefficient of .541.
For comparison, a Prius, one of the slipperiest production cars ever
made, has a coefficient of .24.
As an example of just how much drag the ACR creates, Reece mentioned that Ralph Gilles—the man behind the newest generation of the Viper, former
president and CEO of SRT, and current head of design for Fiat
Chrysler—saw a noticeable drop in his efficiency whenever he
started towing his personal ACR on his open-air trailer. How great is
that?
Since
then, this amusing fact has been bouncing around my skull, so I sent
Gilles a message to follow-up. He quickly got back to me and not only
confirmed the story, but provided a few more details along with some
pictures.
"I tow with
my EcoDiesel Grand Cherokee, which normally would get 20-21mpg towing my
GTS, and got 18-19 towing the ACR," he wrote. "I am in the process of
fashioning a simple device that stalls the rear wing (fills in
the top)."
Okay, let
me explain what makes me so happy about both of these statements. First
off, we've always known Gilles to be an enthusiast through and through,
but the fact that he tows around his own blacked-out ACR
while meticulously keeping tabs on his mpg just further proves his bona
fides.
On top of
that, this is a guy that most definitely doesn't have to worry about the
extra little bit of skrill he needs to shell out at the pump, and
yet he wants to create a device to reduce drag on the ACR's giant
rear wing and increase overall performance and efficiency. Now tell me
that isn't the mark of a car designer at heart.