Wind Tunnels are Making Ford’s Aerodynamic Testing a Breeze

Photo Source: Ford

Wind tunnels have come a long way since they began being utilized to optimize vehicles. For the 2024 Ford Mustang Dark Horse, a state-of-the-art Rolling Road Wind Tunnel (RRWT) was used to refine the machine’s aerodynamics. Ford’s latest Rolling Road Wind Tunnel technology was combined with the equivalent of a vehicle-sized treadmill to develop the Blue Oval’s next-generation production vehicles, including hybrid, electric, and gas cars. 

To clarify what Ford is developing, the Rolling Road Wind Tunnel can simulate wind and road surface speeds of 200 miles per hour. Furthermore, John Toth, the North America Wind Tunnels Engineering Supervisor, elaborated that the wind tunnel moves a tremendous amount of air, so much so that it would be enough to fill a K-Class blimp in a little over five seconds. 

Advantages of the RRWT Strategy

Besides the immense power, one crucial benefit of the Rolling Road Wind Tunnel is that it provides more accurate data regarding downforce and wind drag than previous wind tunnel designs. These factors are critical in fine-tuning an automobile’s efficiency and range. Moreover, simulating open-road conditions can help accelerate the design process, as well as reduce design costs. 

However, there is one pivotal inquiry that remains: Why should the vehicle be placed on a treadmill? To clarify, if the tires and wheels move during testing, engineers are privy to more realistic aerodynamic results. As a matter of fact, that is especially significant for track-ready vehicles like the Mustang Dark Horse, which must have an ideal balance between downforce and aerodynamic drag.

The Treadmill is Not Just for Exercise Anymore

The treadmill is an all-new five-belt rolling road system replicating real-world drag. As such, it allows Ford to, as the company describes, “bring the road to the vehicle, rather than the vehicle to the road.” Each wheel has its own belt, while a large fifth belt runs underneath the center of the vehicle. Then, the brand relies on a crane to effectively switch between the five-belt and single-belt systems.

One of the first of several vehicles to be tested in this wind tunnel is the Mustang Dark Horse. When dealing with trucks and passenger vehicles, Ford seeks to achieve low drag, thus making the cars more effective. On the other hand, for machines such as the Mustang Dark Horse, aerodynamicists trade low drag for more downforce. This way, the automobiles can stick to the track or road, improving handling when cornering. According to John Toth, “The closer we can get to reality in the lab, the better and faster we can create more energy efficient vehicles with great on-road and track stability. Testing while the wheels and tires move is instrumental to improving aerodynamics for track-ready vehicles, like Mustang Dark Horse which has to balance both aerodynamic drag and downforce.”

The Test Subject: 2024 Mustang Dark Horse

The 2024 Mustang Dark Horse is equipped with various upgrades that permit its high performance. For example, it features a lower valence, a redesigned front bumper, unique wheels, and a spoiler. Not to mention, the front design augmented airflow for brakes, engine cooling, and air intake while decreasing front lift.

A lower-positioned splitter and spoiler provide greater downforce; consumers can also select the upgraded handling package, fitting the Mustang Dark Horse with a unique spoiler, splitter, and wheels. Even though these modifications may appear minimal, if a driver wants to gain that extra edge when hitting the track or road, these improvements will make a difference.

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