Consider, if you will the humble artic tractor which has a drag coefficient or Cd of around 0.57. Not bad...but how about this baby? It's the MAN 'Dolphin' concept artic combination (named after the sea-going mammal with the same slippery shape) which manages an astonishing 0.29Cd and just think how much fuel that would save you? And here it above is undergoing a bit of the old computational fluid dynamics (oohhh get you and your CFD Biglorryblog!)
I have Tristan Honeywill writing in the November edition of Automotive Engineer to thank for alerting me to this story and Simon Hall, MAN's amiable PR geezer, for providing me with these images. Speaking to AE, MAN's director of engineering Dr Karl Viktor Schaller says that it's possible to go even further but to do so would mean changes to current EU artic length and height laws. So what are we waiting for? Meanwhile I intend to catch up with the good Herr Doktor soon to get the full story on Dolphin so stay tuned over the coming weeks.
Now take a look at this graphic representation of the MAN Dolphin and tell me what does it remind you of...could it possibly be one of these things below?
Yep it's one of those clever Don-Bur Teardrop trailers which is surprisingly close to the one on the back of the Dolphin don't you think? (A clear case great minds thinking alike).
And what about the Cd on this baby..phwoarrr!!!!! (Yellow card Biglorryblog--once more and you're off) Actually the delightful Chloe is pictured here waving a pair of purple M&S Big Mum pants in the air to show that err....with the Teardrop you can save lots of fuel...or was it a trailer load of pants? Anyway WHATEVER.. No doubt like me you're looking at the above picture and thinking to yourselves 'How cleverly they've enclosed the rear end of the trailer...'' I know I am. Now click through here for some vintage streamlining.....
Starting with an early attempt by Nasa in the mid-60s to develop aerodynamic streamlining for the average US cabover...and can anyone tell me what the truck is is (for a pie--Cd value 5,678, or is that the calories?)
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Now how about this one spotted at the Walcott Truckers Jamboree in Iowa many moons ago by Bill Ayers of Seattle. Bill tells me it's a home made plywood conversion on a Freightliner..Coool huh?
And just to show you there's nothing new under the sun check out this White artic from the 30s (pic from Martin 'Keeper of the Flame' Phippard) which also shows a strange similarity to the Teardrop and Dolphin...and if any of Biglorryblog's beloved anorak army have any other aerodynamic/streamliner truck photos, then in the words of the great Delia Smith: "Let's be 'avin you!" In particular I seem to recall Labatt's (or some other North American Brewery and yes I know Labatt's is Canadian before my comment box explodes) had a very streamlined cabover Mack and trailer outfit. has anyone got photos of that?
NASA test rig is a Freightliner.
A truck with a drag coefficient of 0.29? That's comparable to a Mercedes-Benz SL! Impressive...
Nevertheless, would reduced fuel consumption be offset by a reduction in cargo capacity?
I was involved with aero-dynamics for lgv's in the 70's/80's with the USA Airshield company and in the early 90's introduced S.A.V.E. Southfields Aerodynamic Vehicle Equipment.
The Farings and bodywork that are shown have all been done before. Not a lot is totally new nowadays.
Regards