At what speed does a whale tail/rear spoiler actually start to serve its intended purpose? Isee a lot of non-fast-looking cars with these monstrous attachments on the back and I’m wondering if they do anything other than compensate for small penis size. 
I don’t think whale-tails are for any intended downforce. Actually, they’re more of a drifting-style for cars. And if you know drifting, it’s mostly sideways. They’re pretty much just for style.
They are definately just for looks. It may have something to do with penis size. 
[quote=“Maoman”]At what speed does a whale tail/rear spoiler actually start to serve its intended purpose?[/quote]Depends on the design. Some of the stuff on the market never produces any downforce at any speed. A well-designed wing for a rally or touring car would start producing useful downforce at 80mph or so.
Q: What does a fwd car need downforce for anyway?
A: Penis extension. 
Interesting subject. Rear spoilers have, IMO, evolved in more of a fashion statement, that the useful too they were originally intended to be.
In the USA I have ridden with friends who had them on their vehicle. And most admitted that the rear spoilers were part of a “ground effects” package offered by the dealer/manufacturer.
On the later model Porsche 911’s and derivatives the rear spoilers are speed actuated. Built into the rear enging cover and flat (not raised) at low speed, but opening and extending into position as the speed raises. Quite interesting to watch these at work in traffic. Opening and closing…opening and closing.
Auto aerodynamics have moved from the race track to everyday use as the search for more efficient vehicles and high mpg continues. Front air dams, under-body panels and rear spoilers are part of that evolution.
The last 2 vehicles I has in the USA were Cadilac Eldorado ETC’s. A '96 and a 2000. Almost identical body styles. But the trunk lid (boot lid) on the 2000 has a noticable upturn on it compared to the '96 model. When I asked the technician at the service department about this he explained it as an aerodynaic improvement in air flow control over the rear end of the vehicle. To keep the air from curling back under the rear end and causing disruptive turbulence.
Hell…sounded good to me.
I think all of these refinements are just evolutions in technology. If they didn’t work, the manufacturers wouldn’t incorporate them into the design scheme.
Its not like they are fins…long, beautiful, completely useless fins…lol!
Here’s a site that may help in further explanation:
Auto aerodynamics
yea I was following a porche(sp?) in slow Uk traffic last year, getting hypnotised as the wing thing kept going up and down at about 60-66mph.
beautiful…
The spoilers on a Porsche are designed to go up and down with overlapping speeds. They go up at 70mph and down at a slightly slower speed. 60? This prevents them from oscillating at a certain speed. The Carrera and 911 models have the spoiler that folds open like a door. A Boxter has one that comes up like…uh…a Boxter spoiler. Dammit. I can’t think of a good analogy or metaphor. Anyway, it’s like a “wall” or “lip” that slides up vertically. You would think that wouldn’t be aerodynamic, but it must be just enough to change the airflow to be effective. My brother-in-law has a Boxter and I drove it briefly in the US a year ago. All I can say is: WOW!!! 
The US speed limit is 65mph, maximum. I’ve heard that if the police see a Porsche spoiler up, they can ticket you, although I’m not sure if this is true or not. (I’m also not sure about 65mph. I’ve only spent 9 days in the US in the last 8+ years).
The spoilers that people add to their cars in Taiwan have a lot of purposes, actually:
- Ruining the looks of a probably otherwise decent-looking car.
- Reducing the fuel mileage of the car.
- Reducing the resale value of the car.
- Endangering the driver at high speed.
- Making an important statement: “Hey! Look everybody. I’m a retard and I have equipped my car with a large, tacky appendage!”
What’s next? Someone is going to invent a miniature version of these things to be attached to the back of surfboards. How about an even smaller version for the wide ends of ironing boards? Why not a “480 Volts” sticker to put on your iron?
Next time you see a scooter with a BMW sticker on it, please run them off the road–into something. Make sure, though, that it’s not a larger motorcycle. One with white plastic and a blue guy that has “POLICE” on his clothing. That might not be a good idea.
We call them bookshelves back home. And all the rice rockets had them. Most of the rice rocket drivers (percentage wise) were Asians. So we assumed they had too many books and needed to show how well-learned they are.
I once saw a souped up red early 90s Toyota Corolla. I mean souped-up. It was such a sore in my eyes and I left a note on the windshield to advise him it was not cool. I only wanted to help. All the accessories cost more than the vehicle itself.
That’s my Vroom! Vroom! story. Sorry don’t have much to add here.
I just have some links to add, no comments necessary.
http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=388272
A: Take-off speed.
I think 17 year old UK males kinda beat most people on the crap factor of their (sorry, their nan’s) cars. Insurance means any engine bigger than 1litre is pretty much off limits. So they go down the DIY store and airfix up their rides.
I think this link explains it all…
hahahaha…
This stuff has much less to do with a car performance and much more to do with making a fashion statement.
Why do you think sports cars are painted red (or any other contrasty color)? Surely not for a technical reasons.
Tails have about as much sense as dying your hair green and piercing your lip to put a stud - it’s just a current fad in a youth culture. It also comes cheap - cheaper than buying a “real” car.
I welcome it as examples individualism in a mass of boooooring dad’s cars Toyota Camry etc) crowding the streets.
Tails, blue LED’s, neons ?.. anytime over pink March’es and silver Camry’s.
I think the trailer hitch is a nice touch…
