Porsche 911 - fixing aerodynamics with F1 technology

Porsches get better with every model. And the recipe is quite simple: you take the previous model, improve every single bit and there you go - the new 911 is faster & prettier than the last one. It's basic evolutionary theory.

But there are multiple directions in which evolution you can go (ask Darwin!). And for some, all the new tech and lower Nürburgring lap times simply cannot replace the sensation of the older Porsches. In that case, you can give Singer Vehicle Design a call: they went back to the 80ies, selected the coolest Porsches of that time and took them on a different evolutionary branch.

Just imagine: what if Porsche had stuck to air cooled engines? What if ducktail spoilers were still in fashion? Well, it can be done, but not just like that. Singer called in the help of Williams F1 Advanced Engineering to boost air cooled power to 500hp and to actually make the ducktail spoiler work.

Euh, wait. It didn't work? Well, not quite. Using modern technology, Williams found that the airflow towards the rear wing was not what it should be to make it work. We were of course triggered to learn more and took a random 1982 Porsche for a spin in our virtual wind tunnel at AirShaper - a concept simulation was enough to reveal the truth. The sharp upward angle of the front window and the too-steep descent of the rear window cause the airflow to detach - it cannot follow the shape of the car and just jumps over the rear spoiler. The result? It adds little to no down force.

Changing the angle of the front & rear window would kill the iconic silhouette of the car, so Williams took a different approach: they carved out a low channel in the roof and rear window, whilst keeping the side profile, which guides the air all the way to the rear wing.

Are you next, do you want to define a new branch in sports car evolution? Contact me at [email protected] and we'll get to work to make it work. By the way, feel free to ask me for the full report on the 1982 Porsche 911! And last but not least: be sure to have a look at our Aero Theory videos to get a basic understanding of how aerodynamic design works!