Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Was looking at some cars from the 90s. What I noticed was the narrow grill opening for aerodynamics on all but the old body on frame RWD sedans. But today you see the grill opening getting wider and wider. Is it due to modern engines needing more cooling (like turbos and direct injection)? Or is it merely a styling trend now that aerodynamic tricks have reduced drag the the point that an open mouth grill won’t effect drag?
its not the engine, but rather the cooling system itself. smaller radiators, among other issues. once radiator size gets down small enough, then the only way to properly cool the engine is to increase the amount of air that can flow through the engine compartment.
I'm not sure that's really what's behind the larger grille openings of late. Not all cars with big grills have a turbo option. Some cars with turbo engines available don't have what I would call very big grilles. VW Golf or Fiat 500, for example.
Personally I think it has more to do with styling trends than anything else.
Ford's actually run an active grill shutter that closes the grill when the extra cooling isn't needed to lessen drag and increase fuel economy. I believe most of their models now employ the technology.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
