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A comment on Ask HN: Why aren't there middle class cars shaped like Ferraris?. Parent comment

Re:Ask HN: Why aren't there middle class cars shaped like Fe... by lj3 on Sunday January 22, 2017 @03:25PM (#13457210)
It gets even costlier when you take into account that the purpose of the shape of those cars is to increase downforce for better handling around corners. This causes the air drag and the fuel consumption to go through the roof, which is the opposite of what you want out of a four door Mazda.
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Re:Ask HN: Why aren't there middle class cars shaped like Fe... by pixelbash on Sunday January 22, 2017 @03:56PM (#13457408)
Not sure that's true. Low drag is incredibly important to the top speeds of those cars. For example a `03 Golf has a CdA of 6.89[1] while a new Ferrari 458 is 0.330[2]. Also, most modern supercars have active aerodynamics to create more downforce at higher speed.

[1]http://ecomodder.com/wiki/index.php/Vehicle_Coefficient_of_D... [2]http://www.autozine.org/Archive/Ferrari/old/458.html

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Re:Ask HN: Why aren't there middle class cars shaped like Fe... by mhandley on Sunday January 22, 2017 @05:02PM (#13457833)
You're comparing CdA for the Golf with Cd for the Ferrari. According to that table, the '03 Golf has a Cd of 0.32, actually lower than 0.33 Cd of the Ferrari. Without knowing the frontal area of the Ferrari, I don't know if its CdA is higher too.
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Re:Ask HN: Why aren't there middle class cars shaped like Fe... by seanp2k2 on Sunday January 22, 2017 @04:03PM (#13457447)
Why not have both? The answer is active aero, which is also expensive to design, implement, and test. Unless it'll be on a track, be cornering at >1G, or going >140mph, it's pretty moot. A cheaper car wouldn't do any of these.
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