A look inside GM's scaled-down wind tunnel

General Motors is using a new $30 million 35,000 sq. ft. “reduced scale” wind tunnel to improve the aerodynamic shapes of its vehicles, cars and trucks alike. By using clay models that are up to 40% of the size of a normal vehicle, GM’s engineers better decrease wind drag when they reach full-size vehicle design stage. (All photos courtesy of GM)

Sean Kilcarr

Nov. 17, 2015

General Motors is using a new $30 million 35,000 sq. ft. “reduced scale” wind tunnel to improve the aerodynamic shapes of its vehicles, cars and trucks alike. By using clay models that are up to 40% of the size of a normal vehicle, GM’s engineers better decrease wind drag when they reach the full-size vehicle design stage. (All photos courtesy of GM)

About the Author

Sean Kilcarr

Editor in Chief

Sean Kilcarr is a former longtime FleetOwner senior editor who wrote for the publication from 2000 to 2018. He served as editor-in-chief from 2017 to 2018.