Original Prius 2010 commercial #1 (blue man crew)

btw, if you look at instrument cluster, you see mph engraved there... HUD would never be only option for mph, just additional option.

As 2010 RX is getting HUD then it makes sense than Prius is getting one too...

 

Sorry, I meant the height of the car is lower / shorter. Just compare the roof lines between the two.

 

After looking back, the current iconic Prius wheels don't look round.

I made another comparison and the wheelbases are about the same. I think I have spent enough time on this.

 

A little history recall in that one of the many "concepts" 3-gen Prius that we had seen in the past, one has an uncanny resemblance.
Notice the angular-tail light and slicker overall.


Source: Imagine the 2010 Toyota Prius - Inside Line

 

The new one looks more sporty. I can't wait to test drive it!

 

usbseawolf2000,

Thanks for all the work. Maybe I can induce you to continue a bit longer...

I found the direct comparison pix most interesting. In fact, they lead me to
an as yet unexplored line of considerations:

Would anyone care to comment on the probable frontal area and Cd? The
reduction of the break angle between hood and windshield could be
meaningful. As could be the generally smoother curve from front to rear
with the reduced humpiness of the roof and the flatter run aft of the high
point.

Also, of what purpose was the sequence with the "boomerang?" -- I kept
waiting to see if it came back and, you guessed it, hit one of the BMG on the
head, a cosmic dope slap. Boomerangs "work" on aerodynamic principals.
(Help me here patsparks!) Is there meant to be a suggestion that the rear
spoiler is especially aerodynamically significant given that it appears the
roof line at that point is higher than the GenII?

Has anyone found any other apparent aerodynamic/cleanliness elements?

[Edit] I wonder what happened to the radio antenna(s, or is that "ae")...
in the rear hatch glass? Or perhaps just omitted due artistic license.

 

Very interesting... Gotta look up any connection between the boomerang principle and the new Prius.

 

It turns out the boomerang works because of the Bernoulli's effect.



I found a cool video that explain how such effect can lift the airplane to fly. That's got to do with the shape of the Prius but not how it arc in the tail.

YouTube - airdynamics

 

usbseawolf2000,

OOps! Sorry, I think I may have sent you off on a wild goose chase. I don't
think the mechanics of how the boomerage flies/comes back is the
message...

That would more likely be the dope slap on its presumed return saying in
effect, "It's aerodynamics, dummy." The question then becomes, Just what
is the relevant or special aerodynamics in play at/around the new spoiler.

FWIW, here's one of the many results from Googling, "How do boomerangs
work?"

Boomerang Physics - The Naked Scientists January 2008

 

I put the 2010 Prius shape into the Flow Illustrator and guess how it came out. We have a boat tail shape... Very interesting....

[Update]: I added the Iconic 04-09 Prius below.

Aerodynamic of the new 2010 Prius with boomerang arc tail

Aerodynamic of the Iconic 2004-09 Prius

 

usbseawolf2000,

As I live and breathe, that is one unworldly cool simulation.

You're The Man!

I hesitate to ask, but I must... can you do one for the Gen II so we can see
what it's airflow/pressure patterns look like? By comparing the two, perhaps
we can see the result of improvements, if not the improvements themselves.

[Edit] The second one is even better! Well done.

[2nd Edit] I can't get over that simulation. It even shows counterflows behind
the car as the simulation proceeds towards steady state conditions. I love it!

I take it that velocity is one of the input/initial conditions. What are you using?

 

I plan to do Gen II (iconic Prius) as well as the Insight II and the Volt! If not tonight, more will come tomorrow.

 

Go git 'em tiger!

Many, many thanks.

I know this is outside the scope of your investigation: at 2:32 in the BMG
clip, you can finally see the arc of the roof from side to side. There doesn't
appear to be the weird cenerline flatness that the Gen II has -- thought by
some to induce counter-rotating, drag reducing vortices.

Lastly, I've looked more closely at the "boomerang" sequence. The action is
of throwing something away. Possibly a reference "throwing away the book"
on aerodynamics? Or maybe even more subtlely, "prius" means goes before.
But a boomerang comes back to where it began its flight. The messaage
then is something there is not a rehash, not a gimmick, but something
entirely new.

 

Using science which dates back 40,000 years the boomerang and the Prius share aerodynamic qualities. Now I have a Prius, I don't need this boomerang.

Moving forward, it doesn't matter if you understand how it works, the boomerang comes back, and the new Prius, just like the old one, just works.

In reality I thought it was just put in for a laugh.

 

I agree, that flow simulation is the coolest thing I've seen in a while!!

 

Here's your tractor beam:


As for photon torpedoes, well 50 cal will do:


Road rager, Huntsville style.

Bob Wilson

 

Thanks!

What we need now is both the NHW20 and NHW11, which has a slotted spoiler with a vortex generator on the underside of the spoiler.

One of my first efforts was an attempt to measure the after body vortexes. Now I'm inspired to go back and complete the experiment.

Bob Wilson