Originally Posted by Teck-9
There's now way we're aerodynamically limited to 155, Mag-wags and the new Porsche Panorama sedans go about 170 and I know our aerodynamics are better than those. And wouldn't smaller wheels reduce our top sppeds though?
Yes, way!
The Panamera has 400hp and a claimed drag coefficient of just 0.29 - that's why it can attain 170mph stock.
You are confusing aerodynamic resistance with aerodynamic stability. To go fast you want as little resistance to forward motion as possible. The more drag, the more power it takes to see a gain in speed. The Crossfire coupe has a drag coefficient of 0.37, which is higher than many cars, and actually in the realm of crossover vehicles/SUVs. The boat tail design isn't the most aerodynamic (though it was considered sleek half a century ago). The Crossfire's art deco sheet metal is the car's unique feature. But..... it takes lots of work to move this work of art.
In the case of handling, the Crossfire is quite stable because additional down force is added via the spoiler. But the compromise there is that to make the rear wheels stick to the pavement drag has to be added. Cars that are better designed strictly from an aerodynamic standpoint than the Crossfire are able to attain both higher down force and lower drag at the same time.
Yes, smaller diameter tires/wheels would lower the top speed.