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Neighbour has just bought one of these. It has a retractable rear spoiler. Is there a point to these on a fwd car ?
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It is an "I am speeding" indicator. :-)
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A salesman at my previous place of work got one.
His wife also worked with us and was very pregnant at six months with twins.
He clearly didn't tell her he was getting one and the look on her face said it all!
Her exact words: "How the feck am I going to get in that! Where the feck will we put the kids!"
He spent the next week trying to persuade the fleet manager to change it.
She was gorgeous mind and lovely to boot!
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The original Audi TT had one added for high speed stability after a number of accidents on autobahns; the RCZ is a similar shape, so maybe that's why...though how necessary it is in the U.K. is another question!!
From the ttforum:
"All TTs also got the rear spoiler mounted to the hatch (unless specifically requested by the customer not to have it) in a move aimed at reducing lift on the rear axle at high speeds. The TT has 70kg of lift at the rear axle at 125 mph without the spoiler, and 25kg lift when the spoiler is fitted. By comparison, the BMW Z3 coupe generates 29kg of lift at 125 mph; the Mercedes-Benz SLK, 47kg of lift; and the Porsche Boxster, 30kg of lift. The chassis engineers claim they could have solved the problem without the spoiler, but this would have meant a significant increase in under steer at normal speeds, a trait they wanted to avoid. All TTs also got a version of VW's switchable Electronic Stability Program (ESP).
The changes are noticed, most obviously when you swap lanes and brake at speeds above 100 mph. Stability is much improved. At less exciting speeds, it's the steering that gives the modifications away. The suspension changes have the effect of slowing the steering, so turn-in is more gradual, and any given corner demands more lock.
So, why does the TT lift at high speed? Its down to the basic design of the rear of the car. The sloping shape begins almost at the top of the front windshield and thus causes low pressure over the top of the car. The car is sucked off the road. The TT has a static rear axle load of 620 kg.
What can we do? It is possible to improve the stability of then TT by reducing its centre of gravity (lowering). This reduces the static moment about the front axle (the car is trying to rotate around its front axle when you hit the brakes). Stiffening the springs reduces the pitch motion and weight transfer whilst braking, this in turn helps to reduce the unwanted counter lever effect of the mass (engine) fwd of the rotation point (front axle)."
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Very informative PeterS... Two of my friends have a new model TypeR and an A class 4wd AMG.
The former has a huge rear wing thing which seriously reduces rear visibility and looks silly when being driven by an oldish bloke. The latter has a less pronounced rear wing addition that I could live with. And a nice metallic green. And 380 horses.
Just not as practical as my £2k Focus ... I'm going for the ' less is more' ....
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I thought it was a vanity thing. You live an learn. I was edging towards a scientific answer when a friend said his 1989 VW Corrado had one.
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Friend has an Audi A7 twineverything with one those. It's like waving a flag at the police.
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>> a friend said his 1989 VW Corrado had one
There may have been some science in that; they deployed at 75mph but UK market cars had a manual up/down button to give the driver an excuse when spotted by Plod.
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At very high speeds (>100mph typically) they reduce the tendency for the car to catastrophically 'lift-off' oversteer, and exiting the carriageway bum first.
It means the styling of the car doesn't need altered (remember the Jag F-Type gained an 'aftermarket' bootlid spoiler after similar properties were noted after they went on sale), or the steering/suspension messed with (where improved >100mph stability would mean greater understeer/excessive rigidity at more normal velocities)
Plus it adds a USP "Look at me" factor.
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Peugeot RCZ - Spoiler alert. - Old Navy
