Covered rear wheel openings

[LuS1fer]

Having read the XK120 thread, I was wondering why there have been no cars (bar the Honda electric thingy and several Citroens)which have embraced this aerodynamic aid in this era of efficiency.

Is it because

(a) it's actually counter-aerodynamic in reality
(b) it's too much of a fag to remove it to change a wheel
(c) cost of engineering in a removable panel
(d) brake cooling issues
(e) something else.

I think covered rear arches look extremely elegant and might help sex up some thoroughly blocky designs.

I can think of the DS/GS and SM and some 50s and 60s Jags - any others?

[HellDiver]

Renault 6 had them.



Granpa had one identical, only in metallic blue. Piece of junk.

Edited by HellDiver on Thursday 27th January 12:21

[The Black Flash]

Interesting, they always look horrible to me.

[marcosgt]

They can look good on the right car



although, I always had a particular liking for this model :



M.

Edited by marcosgt on Thursday 27th January 12:29

[ImDesigner]

Modern cars tend to have a large obvious mass on the side profile. The addition of a rear wheel cover will only enhance this bulk making the car look overly heavy and bloated.

[angusc43]

(a) it's too much of a fag to remove it to change a wheel
(b) brake cooling issues
(c) it looks terrible

[shakotan]

Seeing as rear braking proportion is minimal, I'd discount that from the reasons as they are unlikely to overheat.

[stewy68]

doogz said:

The BX as well, although i think it just had a removal panel, as well as the ability to pump the suspension up? Could be wrong on all accounts there though.

As for why they aren't designed like that any more, dunno, some of them look great.

The BX didn't have a removable panel, but with the suspension, that wasn't a problem.
I personally like cars with covered/faired-in rear wheels although the original design has to lend itself to this or it just looks wrong/bloated, etc.

Edited for diabolical grammar.

Edited by stewy68 on Thursday 27th January 13:35

[TommyBuoy]

Is there not a particular E class AMG that has covered rear wheels?

*goes to find picture*

[kambites]

TommyBuoy said:

Is there not a particular E class AMG that has covered rear wheels?

*goes to find picture*

It's the latest Brabus thing, I think.

[plasticpig]

Tatra





Talbot Lago



Chrysler Airflow

[EDLT]

kambites said:

TommyBuoy said:

Is there not a particular E class AMG that has covered rear wheels?

*goes to find picture*

It's the latest Brabus thing, I think.

[Chiswickboy]

EDLT said:

kambites said:

TommyBuoy said:

Is there not a particular E class AMG that has covered rear wheels?

*goes to find picture*

It's the latest Brabus thing, I think.

Does that look crap or does that look crap?

IMHO

[kambites]

The E-class looks daft, but only because it's a cover over the wheel of a car which has clearly be styled to have an exposed wheel. I think they can look good (for example the mk1 Honda Insight pulls it off) if the car in question is designed with it in mind.

[a11y_m]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

+2, but I know it was done for a purpose and to f**k with aesthetics.

[Mrs OwenK]

They're massively beneficial to aerodynamics; the wheels on a car are one of, if not the biggest source of drag. This is why F1 recently has been mucking about so much trying to cover them over (and once all the avenues are banned, trying to route air over and away from the wheels as much as possible via scoops and sweeping bodywork).

The problem as I think we can all agree is that it looks naff - also one of the reasons that car aerodynamics haven't improved THAT much; we still want our cars to look like cars, and optimising them aerodynamically would have us all driving odd soap bar looking things!

ETA- OwenK (again!)

Edited by Mrs OwenK on Thursday 27th January 14:31

[Dogwatch]

As far as I remember they used to be called Spats. Pain to remove and replace when changing a wheel, also easy to chip the paint in the process. Plus the lock could rust solid between wheel changes. However if you just gave up refitting them the lines of the car were spoilt.

So, nice on someone else's car. Absolute bugger on your own.

[kambites]

There's no particular reason they should be any worse than opening the bonnet or any other panel which only infrequently gets moved.

[Zod]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Looks like a sunblind for the rear wheel.

[al1991]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

+3. Covered wheel openings look rubbish, except maybe on the odd classic.