Wind tunnels are nothing new in the world of car design with manufacturers constantly trying to achieve a perfect balance between air resistance and design in an effort to improve a vehicle’s aerodynamic behaviour.
It’s obviously one of the most important aspects in Formula 1 which is why when Red Bull was found guilty of breaking the cost cap limit in 2021, they were given a 10 percent reduction in aerodynamic testing for 12 months from October 2022 and a $7-million dollar fine.
It’s certainly not a one size fits all as tailored aerodynamics are a key step in the development of new vehicles. For passenger vehicles and trucks the goal is to achieve a low drag for a more efficient vehicle.
However, when it comes to track-ready and racing cars aerodynamics trade low drag for increased downforce because that’s what you want when you go tearing around a track and tackle corners and hairpin bends.
Which is precisely what Ford did when they designed the new Mustang Dark Horse.
Not in an ordinary wind tunnel mind you, but a new state-of-the-art Rolling Road Wind Tunnel (RRWT) that’s capable of simulating wind and road surface speeds of 322km/h.
It was also one of the first vehicles in the company to have used the new technology.
The five-belt rolling road system can replicate real-world drag through a rolling road aerodynamic tunnel that enables Ford to bring the road to the vehicle, rather than the vehicle to the road.
To test for optimal aerodynamic performance, each wheel gets its own belt, making up the first four belts. A large fifth belt runs under the centre of the vehicle. A crane is used to switch between the five belt and single belt systems – an industrial-sized plug-and-play. The single belt – which operates at up to 322km/h – opens up a new breed of testing for high-speed performance vehicles.
Which is why the Dark Horse comes with an available Gurney flap, which is an extra plate attached to the rear wing to help generate additional downforce, as well as three vertical plates coming off the underbody near each front wheel called strakes. These help disrupt airflow generating greater downforce on the underside of the vehicle, helping the car stick better in corners at high speed.
Additional features include a redesigned front bumper, a lower valence, a spoiler, and unique wheels. The front design is optimised to potentially increase airflow for engine cooling, brakes and air intake, while also reducing front lift.
The lower air spoiler and splitter allow the car to be tuned for greater downforce and with the upgraded handling package there’s a unique splitter, spoiler, and wheels – changes that may seem small but that make all the difference when it comes to spending time on the track.
And if you need any convincing that small changes have a big impact, have a look at the recent performance of the McLaren F1 cars after a couple of tweaks.
“We spent approximately 250 hours in the wind tunnel developing the 2024 Ford Mustang including Dark Horse,” said Program Aerodynamicists for Mustang and Bronco, Jonathan Gesek. “The aerodynamics of Mustang Dark Horse along with several other factors have created the most track- and street-capable 5.0-litre Mustang to date.”