The new generation Mustang may not look like a massive departure from the version it replaces, but Ford says that all of the small changes amount to a big difference in terms of aerodynamics. The team spent more than 250 hours in the latest generation of wind tunnels to ensure that the car will be as aero efficient as possible.
The 2024 S650 Mustang benefited from the use of the latest wind tunnel technology that not only simulates air moving over the car, but the road moving under it as well. The Rolling Road Wind Tunnel is capable of simulating speeds of up to 200 mph (322 km/h), and can move enough air to fill a K-Class blimp (non-rigid airship) in just five seconds.
The point isn’t just to impress with theoretical feats, it’s to more closely simulate what’s happening on the road. That allows engineers and designers to do more in-house testing, ultimately improving the cars that are on the road, and reducing costs.
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“The closer we can get to reality in the lab, the better and faster we can create more energy efficient vehicles with great on-road and track stability,” said John Toth, Ford’s wind tunnel engineering supervisory for North America. “Testing while the wheels and tires move is instrumental to improving aerodynamics for track-ready vehicles, like Mustang Dark Horse, which has to balance both aerodynamic drags and downforce.”
Ford’s latest wind tunnel doesn’t just use a single treadmill, though. It can utilize up to five. The system has one belt per wheel, then a fifth one that runs under the middle of the car. If need be, the car can be craned onto a bigger, single-belt treadmill for higher speeds.
The wind tunnel testing was used in the design of the 2024 Mustang Dark Horse, and led to the implementation of a Gurney flap (an additional vertical plate attached to the rear wing for added downforce), a lower air spoiler and splitter, and unique wheels, all designed to help with its performance on and off the track.
“We spent approximately 250 hours in the wind tunnel developing the 2024 Ford Mustang, which includes Dark Horse,” said Jonathan Gesek, program aerodynamicist for Mustang and Bronco. “The aerodynamics of Mustang Dark Horse along with several other factors have created the most track- and street-capable 5.0-liter Mustang to date.”
