10 Of The Least Aerodynamic Cars Ever Made

Don’t trade blows with the air; learn to slice through it. This low-drag philosophy is almost as old as automobiles. Skeptical? Camille Jenatzy, a Belgian race driver, shaped his battery-electric “Red Devil” racecar like a bullet to cut through the air more efficiently — in 1899! As a result, he was the first to break the 100 km/h (62 mph) barrier, reaching 105.85 km/h (65.25 mph).

Then, in 1921, Zeppelin designer Paul Jaray started working on streamlined cars, while Edmond Ruppler showed an extremely slippery prototype, called the Rumpler Tropfenwagen, the world’s first streamlined car. The car was shaped like a teardrop and even had wings to channel air more efficiently, boasting an aerodynamic coefficient of just 0.28 Cd. Later, in the 1930s, Wunibald Kamm introduced the easy-to-implement “Kamm-tail” that dramatically reduced aerodynamic drag. It’s even present in modern vehicles like the Ferrari 812, Toyota Prius, Tesla Model Y — the list goes on. Unfortunately, many automakers seem to have missed the memo. Yes, overall, aerodynamic efficiency improved over the years, but implementing it in regular cars was challenging. In fact, it was common for early 1900s cars to have a brick-like drag of over 1.0 Cd.

Two important notices: first, we excluded SUVs and trucks; secondly, drag coefficient data for most vehicles isn’t available, particularly for early cars. So, this list only contains cars for which we could find verifiable drag coefficient data.

Volkswagen took the world by storm when it introduced the second-gen Beetle at the 1998 Detroit Motor Show. It was everything that people loved about the original, but with a modern chassis and parts sourced from the Golf. Or so it seemed at first. The “New Beetle” failed to capture the essence of the original, as it was front-engine, front-wheel drive. To make things worse, it was also worse than the Golf. Tighter interior space. Smaller trunk. Worse aerodynamics (0.38 vs. 0.31 Cd).

This was particularly true of the high-strung Beetle RSi variant. The massive wheel arches and gargantuan rear spoiler added to the overall aerodynamic inefficiency of the car, bringing it to 0.40 Cd. In its defense, Volkswagen said that the rear wing created 170 pounds (77 kg) of downforce at 160 mph (258 km/h). Still, because of the limited aerodynamics, the Beetle RSi couldn’t even reach that speed. All it could muster was 140 mph (225 km/h).

Now, you are surely thinking that this is still respectable for a Beetle. But here is the kicker: this bug was powered by a 3.2-liter VR6 that produced 221 hp and 236 lb-ft of torque. It also had AWD. Heck, VW even used carbon fiber for the body panels to reduce weight. It didn’t work, unfortunately, as the Beetle RSi weighed 3,373 pounds (1,530 kg). Thus, paired with a six-speed manual, it sprinted to 62 mph (100 km/h) in an okay-ish 6.7 seconds. Still, surely it could reach more than 150 mph (240 km/h) with better aerodynamics. But what are we even complaining about — it’s an AWD, VR6-powered Beetle!

I still remember the disappointment when I first read about the brick-like aerodynamics of my favorite supercar since I was a kid. Yes, folks, the Lamborghini Countach has a drag coefficient of 0.42 Cd without the rear wing! Disappointing, I know. It surely doesn’t look like it as the angular, wedge-shaped body still emanates futuristic, air-cutting vibes.

Yes, Marcello Gandini, the father of the supercar, penned Countach’s amazing shape. But it was not his fault for the embarrassing aerodynamic efficiency. Due to budget restrictions, he could never test a finished body in a wind tunnel. Still, the limited development budget and time are evident inside as driver comfort and visibility are secondary in the Countach. So, how did all this translate into real-world performance? Autozine has unearthed a CAR Magazine comparison test between the Countach LP5000 QV and the Ferrari Testarossa. The Countach was powered by a 5.2-liter V12 with 455 hp. The Testarossa: 4.9-liter V12 with 390 hp. Lambo’s supercar even weighed 400 pounds (181 kg) less than its Ferrari counterpart. However, the Prancing Horse’s elegant supercar had a drag coefficient of 0.36 Cd. Thus, it had a slightly lower top speed of 181 mph (291 km/h), compared to Countach’s 183 mph (295 km/h).

The fact is, though, nothing we say can mar the Countach. It’s easily one of the most striking cars to ever reach the road, and one that had a profound influence on the supercar category. We still love you, you fascinating Italian brick.

Many like to mention the 1974 Golf as the first successful, family-oriented front-wheel-drive car. However, Fiat already perfected the front-engine, FWD formula with the highly successful 128, which two years later, launched a smaller, city-oriented variant called the 127.

Fiat’s boxy urban dweller didn’t quite make the list of our favorite Fiat cars ever made, but that doesn’t make it any less special. Its then-new powertrain layout improved interior space over its predecessor, the 850, while also improving fuel economy. The 127 also had an independent front suspension and front disc brakes — not something you’d expect in an early 1970s small car. Unsurprisingly, the 127 won the 1972 Car of the Year in Europe, two years after its bigger sibling, the 128, took the same honors.

It also looks very modern. Those clean, undisturbed lines. The stretched wheelbase. The cute, yet recognizable front fascia. Still, the boxy body wasn’t the most aero-efficient, with a drag coefficient of 0.45 Cd, which is actually not bad for a 1970s city car. It allowed the tiny 903-cc, 46 hp engine to bring the 127 to a top speed of 87 mph (140 km/h). Thanks to the low curb weight of 1,554 pounds (705 kg), the 127 also reached 62 mph (100 km/h) in 17.4 seconds. What you want, though, is the Autobianchi 112 Abarth. This upmarket variant produced up to 70 hp from a 1,050-cc engine and sprinted to 62 mph in 14 seconds and had a top speed was 100 mph (160 km/h). It was also designed by Gandini!

The reality: the original Beetle isn’t as aerodynamic as it looks. The fact: Ferdinand Porsche borrowed heavily from Tatra’s streamliners designed by Austrian Hans Ledwinka. The rear-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout. Teardrop-like design. They are mostly the same.

So, how did a car designed to be aerodynamic end up being a brick? Well, for starters, 0.48 Cd wasn’t particularly bad for the time. In fact, most 1930s cars had a drag coefficient of 0.6 to 0.7 Cd. Still, the sporty version of the Beetle, the Porsche 356, was significantly more slippery with a coefficient of only 0.296 Cd. Hardly surprising, as the 356 was lower and sat closer to the ground. Moreover, it had a curvy windshield instead of the flat, upright, and recessed one on the Beetle.

Even with its limited aerodynamics, the Beetle reached its original objective to run at 100 km/h (62 mph) while seating four people. So, however bad from our perspective, the reasonable drag coefficient certainly helped matters. What they didn’t tell the public is how long it would take to reach that speed. Later models, like the Beetle 1200, reached 62 mph in 35 seconds, so you do the math. While competitive for its era, the last Beetle to come out of VW’s Mexico plant is one of the least aerodynamic cars produced in the 21^st century. Volkswagen produced 2,999 of the “Sedán Última Edición” in 2003, equipped with a 1.6-liter boxer with 50 hp. It even had A/C from the factory.

The Plymouth Prowler still feels unreal.  How on Earth did Plymouth, of all automakers, end up making one of the most daring automobiles of the 21^st century? It really feels like Plymouth used the Prowler as a bold rejection to the increasingly boring automotive landscape before disappearing completely.

The truth actually hides in the details. Chrysler gave engineers free rein to develop a modern take on a 1930s hot rod. So, of course, they gave it a tapered body. Exposed front wheels. Foldable fabric top. The pattern is clear. What’s surprising, though, is the drag coefficient of 0.49 Cd. Plymouth even tried to lower the drag by hiding the front suspension under the hood and using push rods, just like F1 cars. The setup is engineering candy, but it still creates drag, mainly because of the exposed tire’s rotation. The Prowler was also wider in the rear, with a relatively upright windshield as well.

But there was a bigger elephant in the room — the Prowler never had a V8. Yes, they went to great lengths to simulate hot rods, minus the performance. The original 1997 Prowler had just 214 hp under the hood and a four-speed auto. It had a 0-60 of 7.0 seconds and a top speed of 117 mph (188 km/h). Things improved in 1999, when Plymouth introduced an all-aluminum variant of the V6 engine. With 253 hp on tap and a curb weight of just 2,899 pounds (1,315 kg), the improved Prowler was a second quicker to 60 mph.

Citroën is one of the automakers that pioneered slippery, aerodynamic designs. From the incredibly cool Citroën DS to the graceful, Maserati-powered SM, the French automaker designed its cars with drag reduction in mind. However, it seems that aerodynamics wasn’t on the engineer’s mind when developing the 2CV. Not that this should surprise anyone, but the 2CV was Citroën’s car for the people. In fact, Jules Boulanger, the automaker’s boss at the time, famously said that he wanted an “umbrella on wheels.”

But, of course, by that he didn’t mean a high drag coefficient of 0.52 Cd. Instead, he wanted the cheapest possible, practical transportation on four wheels. The engineers delivered big time. Thanks to the high road clearance and comically soft suspension, the 2CV handles light off-road duties surprisingly well. This was important in post-war France, as most roads were unpaved. Jules also required that the 2CV can carry four passengers with 110 pounds (50 kg) of cargo at 30 mph. So, initially, Citroën’s people’s car was equipped with an engine that could fit in a matchbox car; the 375cc boxer twin produced just 9 hp, which was just about enough for those requirements.

Fortunately, Citroën improved the 2CV later on with 425cc and 602cc engines. The latter produced 33 hp at relatively high 7,000 rpm and weighed 1,235 pounds (560 kg), so it had a top speed of 68 mph (110 km/h). A lower drag coefficient might’ve extracted a few more mph, but the 2CV was never designed to be an Autobahn machine.

The Lamborghini Countach is a brick by poor design. The Viper ACR (American Club Racer) with the Extreme Aero Package, however, is a brick by choice. Dodge designed the ultimate version of its V10-powered sports car for track attack, which meant creating the highest possible downforce. So, the Viper ACR has a massive carbon-fiber wing in the back, accompanied by a carbon-fiber rear diffuser. The front is treated with a splitter and dive planes to balance things out, while the hood has openings to reduce air pressure.

The result: industry-leading (in 2016) downforce of 1,764 pounds (800 kg) at top speed, or outstanding 1,200 pounds (545 kg) at 155 mph (250 km/h). Another, mostly unwanted result: 0.541 Cd. That’s significantly higher than the regular Viper’s 0.37 Cd. It’s even higher than the Jeep Wrangler JK three-door (0.5 Cd).

You must be thinking that the 8.4-liter V10 is potent enough to overcome the aerodynamic deficit. It produces 645 hp and brutal 600 lb-ft (814 Nm), after all. Well, the Viper ACR is the best example of how added drag influences speed — it can only reach 177 mph (285 km/h). The top speed of the regular Viper: 206 mph (332 km/h). Don’t you worry, though, the Viper ACR can still make you dizzy with its staggering lateral grip of 1.5G. Can you make a high-downforce sports car that’s also aerodynamic? Porsche has already done it using active aerodynamics and F1-like DRS in the 992 GT3 RS. Drag coefficient: 0.39 Cd. Peak downforce: 1,895 lbs (860 kg) at 177 mph.

Forget about horsepower, 0-60 times, and top speeds. Driving has never been about numbers, anyway. It’s about the experience. And as far as driving experience is concerned, few could match the Caterham Seven. Yes, Caterham’s open-wheel sports car is based on the Lotus 7 Series, which dates back to 1957. Still, the Lotus 7 looks like early 1950s F1 cars and is designed with Colin Chapman’s main principle: “simplify, then add lightness.” Thanks to the lightweight tubular steel spaceframe chassis and aluminum body, the original Lotus 7 weighed less than 880 pounds (400 kg).

The latest Caterham Seven 170 isn’t much heavier at 970 pounds (440 kg). Thus, even with its tiny, 84-hp, 660cc turbocharged three-cylinder engine from Suzuki, it sprints to 62 mph (100 km/h) in just 6.9 seconds. However, it soon runs out of puff as the top speed is just 105 mph. That’s mainly due to the extremely high drag coefficient of 0.6 Cd, which also hurts the more powerful models. The top-spec Seven 620 packs 310 hp and weighs just 1,345 pounds (610 kg) yet has a top speed of only 149 mph (240 km/h).

But honestly, who cares about top speed? The Seven 620 also sprints to 60 in 2.79 seconds and dances through corners like a prima ballerina. It also has enough power to drift at demand while remaining surgically accurate at all times. Of course, you can experience the outstanding handling in any Caterham. Each model carries the traditional Lotus driving signature. The only thing to decide is how bonkers you want it to be.

Henry Ford surely would’ve laughed hard if you mentioned aerodynamics when he was developing the Model T. Yes, the world had been toying with the idea for some time, but Ford’s intention was never to build the most advanced car at the time. Instead, he wanted to create the first car for the masses. The drag coefficient of 0.79 Cd was just an unintended byproduct of the simple, era-specific design.

Still, it was not like the Model T was a dud. Launched on October 1, 1908, Ford’s vehicle for the masses introduced a lightweight chassis made from heat-treated steel. As a result, it was more rigid than its peers, while weighing just 1,200 pounds (544 kg). It also had a relatively potent 2.9-liter four-cylinder engine that produced 20 hp and a two-speed manual. The Model T was designed to run on gas and hemp fuel and had a top speed of 40 mph (64 km/h). It was sold for $825 ($29,000 in today’s money). Expensive, but the Model T offered much more for the price than its rivals.

However, the biggest update came in 1913, when Ford introduced the moving assembly line. As the new production method was improved, Ford spewed a Model T every 24 seconds. This lowered the price to just $360 in 1916, equivalent to $10,700 in today’s money, and even down to $300 in subsequent years. As a result, Ford had built 15 million Model Ts in the 19-year production span, making it by far the most sold car of its era.

A frontal area of 21.5 square feet (3 m²), higher than a regular apartment door. Cd value of 1.05, just slightly lower than a circular flat plate. The Mercedes Simplex was many things, but not an aerodynamically efficient vehicle, even though it was the most advanced automobile at the time. Mercedes moved away from horse carriages with the Simplex, creating a low-slung vehicle with an engine mounted low under the hood. So, it was probably more aerodynamic than its contemporaries, but still a brick from today’s perspective.

So, to give its people mover a top speed of just 50 mph (80 km/h), Mercedes had to use a massive 6.7-liter inline-4 engine with 45 hp. The lightweight convertible model could reach over 62 mph (100 km/h), though. These figures were a consequence of the technology available at the beginning of the 20^th century. As its name suggests, the Simplex was designed to be a simple transportation device, not a speed demon.

Still, a year later, the Simplex received an even larger 9.2-liter inline-4, good for 60 hp. Top speed: 56 mph (90 km/h). But by turning the Simplex into a smaller, lower convertible, Mercedes increased the top speed to 81 mph (130 km/h). The high-end Simplex even had a lower center of gravity than the regular model, alongside a four-speed transmission. In 1903, this was as advanced as you could get in an automobile. Today, this model is known as the “King of Belgians” because the first customer to buy one was King Leopold II of Belgium.