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Spoilers Spoil Good Design - Agree or Disagree?

103 messages,  Last post on Jul 14, 2007 at 11:34 AM

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Messages Page 1 of 11

#1 of 103 Spoilers Spoil Good Design - Agree/Disagree? by hpmctorque

Jun 22, 2005 (4:17 am)

Other than at speeds well above legal limits, rear spoilers are, at a minimum, non-functional appendages. It could further be argued that they detract from clean lines. However, the old proverb "taste is not to be disputed" applies here, so will rear spoilers be considered as passe as tail fins some day?

#2 of 103 I don't care for them. by seminole_kev

Jun 22, 2005 (5:28 am)

It is one thing for a car that's going to see 150MPH+ and needs some correction to its airflow/downforce, it is another for the family grocery getter. I'd love to see them go away, but some how I doubt they will.

#3 of 103 Re: I don't care for them. [seminole_kev] by 1racefan

Jun 22, 2005 (5:38 am)

Replying to: seminole_kev (Jun 22, 2005 5:28 am)
"It is one thing for a car that's going to see 150MPH+"
 
Yeah, but if you were regularly driving these speeds, you would probably need a NASCAR style spoiler that could produce some real down-force instead of one of these trunk ornaments that the auto manufacturers place on cars and call spoilers.

#4 of 103 Maybe they will go away someday... by 210delray

Jun 22, 2005 (6:06 am)

...like whitewall tires and vinyl roofs. It seems amazing today that a car as lowly as the Plymouth Valiant had something like 80% optioned with vinyl roofs in the early 70s.
 
Meanwhile, I always have to laugh when I see a Camry or Malibu with a spoiler! An Evo, yes, but not a family sedan.

#5 of 103 210delray by davem2001

Jun 22, 2005 (6:15 am)

Good point - maybe in 10,20 years they will be out of style like vinyl roofs or whitewall tires...

#6 of 103 racefan by seminole_kev

Jun 22, 2005 (6:21 am)

well I do know that they had to add that ugly little spoiler to the Audi TT due to some top speed stability problems. That might be an instance where it didn't take a big spoiler, but that may have been only around 120 mph (?) though.

#7 of 103 Wholeheartedly Agree by logic1

Jun 22, 2005 (6:24 am)

I can only think of one or two spoilers -- both on Porsches -- that do anything for the design.
 
I seriously considered getting a Cobalt SS Supercharged with the GM discount. The body work to get rid of the spoiler would have cost almost $500.00.
 
I'll wait and check out the 2.4 litre SS that you can get without the darn spoiler.

#8 of 103 . by fintail

Jun 22, 2005 (6:41 am)

I can't think of a spoiler that really helps a design. It's a very poseriffic accessory, especially on a 4cyl grocery getter.
 
Every now and then I'll see one on a current S-class, and I have even seen one on a 126. Ridiculous.

#9 of 103 Re: . [fintail] by Mr_Shiftright HOST

Jun 22, 2005 (6:48 am)

Replying to: fintail (Jun 22, 2005 6:41 am)
What's ironic is that in most cases a really effective spoiler would in fact slow a car down somewhat. So I'm not sure what the "pose" actually is---is it "my car is SO FAST I need a spoiler to keep in on the ground?" or do they think it actually makes the car go faster by "spoiling" the air.
 
One thing for sure there is a lot of confusion in the public mind between the functions of a spoiler and a wing.
 
All wings are spoilers but not all spoilers are wings.
 
Wings make you go faster (in theory) and spoilers slow you down.
 
So, unfortunately, some people are spending a lot of time and money on street cars to slow them down.

#10 of 103 Re: . [Mr_Shiftright] by lemmer

Jun 22, 2005 (7:11 am)

Replying to: Mr_Shiftright (Jun 22, 2005 6:48 am)
I am not sure how unfortunate it is to slow down some of these people. Those huge spoilers (especially if they are homemade) seem to go hand in hand with aggressive drivers. I wanted a spoiler on my first car, but I grew out of that desire by the time I hit 18 years old.

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