Not positive, but aircraft use spoilers that pop up on the wing to break up air flow to decrease lift. This could possibly disrupt the flow enough to cause more air to go down those slots over the rear of the car (path of least resistance). Air flow does really strange things with just a little disruption. Jim
I think those slots are too smooth and just flow back and out, not down over the back end. I swear, I can't get to the entrance of the subdivision without the back of this car being covered in dirt, leaves, etc. Fairly clean roads, but it is like a magnet for messy.
I'm still on stock runflats :arf: and have not gotten around to upgrading the suspension or tires yet. The clearance will be reduced then. At the present time, we are using the poor man's lowering technique. Add 3 large adults and it drops quite a bit.:lol:
Try living on a farm, with a long gravel drive and no rain in over a month and a half. Mine is only clean until I start it. :mad2: Jim
Think the problem with the boot is much like the problem tall square buildings have in a hurricane where much of the damage actually occurs on the back side of the building not the side the wind is blowing against. The roof of the Mini is so flat and the rear so squared off that with nothing to taper air down and not much to direct it up the whole geometry creates a swirl back to the car. The air actually goes straight off the top, travels a distance and then curls down around the turbulent low pressure air at the rear, down towards the road surface and like an upside down wave curls back to the rear end creating gobs of drag. Note when you run through a bunch of leaves and looking in your rear view mirror the leaves aren't just following you but hitting the rear window. A spoiler lip could by deflecting the air upwards not stop, but extend the distance before the swirl back occurs, enough that it can't attach to the rear end.... The lower diffuser might effect this by disrupting the swirl by directing more air upwards into the swirl. Both good things that would reduce the suction/drag on the back end.... 2 cents
Areo aides are not for keeping your back window clean. Areo Aides are for air management that translates into better handling at speed. Thumbs up for G4 for comming up with products that work for what they are created to do "better handling at speed". They also look cool but that is not what they were created for. If you want your rear window clean get some RainX and use your rear wiper. (If you have not removed it yet) A dirty back window is expected in with a Mini just like our easly chipped windshields, front bumpers, and hoods. :mad2:opcorn::devil:
We have found that controlling air movement from the front to the rear has added benefits. The splitter moves the air up and over the front faster helping push bugs past the bumper away from our bug collecter (windshield). The diffuser and spoiler extension shorten the "parachute" affect causing more air movement behind our MINIs helping to "blow" crap off the rear . We have also noticed 1-2 mpgs and of course a safer more stable MINI. All this said we still own MINIs and as "Chili-Pa" said we will always collect bugs and dirt :cryin:. But our toys are worth it or we would not be doing all the R&D and testing we are doing :idea: Mark
So doing both is not possible or not expected? I am not a track junkie with my street car. I want something is functional on all levels, including looks, aero, function and style. If it was a track car, I wouldn't give a rat's behind about the back window as, in the words of Raul Julia in Gumball Rally, what is behind me would make no difference! If G4 can't do it, than I will talk to someone who can. I like the lip idea, but it seems that one on the bottom of the wing could duct a bit of that air down the window and keep a larger portion of the dirt off. I just figured a company that specializes in aero would be a great place to start, because frankly, I don't know of too many companies right now who couldn't use a few more customers and I would prefer to use ones who actually do things right. It is a problem that has gotten more than a little attention, so there would be interested customers, they are already doing aero work on these cars, and they do a nice job on fit and finish, from what I have seen. I am not expecting it to keep it spotless, that is just a result of the design, but it doesn't have to be trashed by the time I get to the grocery store a mile down the road, either. Not talking dirt or gravel here. Just good old GA asphalt.
I would say not expected, but if it cleaner boot happens as a free benefit of the G4 areo aides (Rear Diffuser or Wing) that would be great. I love the roads in GA. I was in North Atlanta (Dunwoody) last month and 400 and I 85 are so smooth its like driving on glass. The roads around PA (Philly area) are all crap. They are all narrow and 200 years old. :mad5::mad2:
KittyMini, you are a blast :cornut: Johngo, I will talk to our designer about your idea and see what we can come up with :idea:. Listening to what MINIacs want is what keeps us thinking and active Mark
I couldn't ask for more. Thanks! Oh, and I have a white car, so if you need testing, I can cover that...
I'm still waiting on the rocker panel , side skirt thingy? you know what I'm talkin about? below the passenger and drivers door? so Air doesn't really come out of the sides? I mean once my mini is lowered... No drag!! plus, diffuser covers a lot of the underbelly!! maybe all the dirt will shoot out the back???
How about scrubber brushes and a side exit (lawn mower style) on either side that would kick the stuff out and away AND clean the roads?