The aero performance of the Elemental Rp1 sports car, which recently debuted at Goodwood Festival of Speed in the UK, was confirmed through extensive CFD conducted using software from London Computing Solutions (LCS). This analysis showed that the car is capable of generating 400kg of downforce at 150mph.
The Rp1 has also undergone extensive development in the MIRA wind tunnel in the UK, which was verified through CFD and further real-world validation on both the test track and the road.
CFD simulations were performed by aerodynamics consultancy Apex Aero throughout the development, delivering a unique insight into how the air passes around and under the car. This technical partnership allowed the design to be optimized and validated with wind tunnel testing.
John Begley, founder and technical director, said, “The geometry of the aerodynamics has been designed so that we wouldn’t need to use any upperbody spoilers or wings, which add incremental weight and drag. The Rp1’s exterior shape is smooth and aerodynamic in design already, but coupled with the front splitter plus front and rear diffusers, we were able to apply the highly efficient ground-effect principles by engineering this complete system underneath the car.”
June 30, 2016