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Prius' Curved Roof has a Name!

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by Tideland Prius, Nov 4, 2011.

  1. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    Looks like Toyota is applying everything they've learned on as many different cars as possible and Prius' contribution to Toyota's latest sports car (currently called the FT-86 Concept but will be sold in the US as a Scion FR-S) is this:

    [​IMG]


    The "Pagoda" roof
     
  2. David Beale

    David Beale Senior Member

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    Hate to be a deflater BUT Mazda (and others before them) used it over 10 years ago. For example the 1993 RX-7.

    Must be feeling negative today. Sooo...

    World Class - ever traveled the world? MOST of it is pretty rough. So is "World Class" rough? ;)

    Yup, I think that term is the stupidest I've ever heard, and it's used often.

    But thanks for that Tideland.
     
  3. sidecar

    sidecar Member

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    they didnt invent it either though.

    These things are widely known, not often reproduced. The depressions in the roof are to excite what is known as vortilon flow, used to maintain a thinner boundary layer and adhesion over the aft part of the roof. Without that, the rear would be higher.

    With a lower rear section and a lesser lower suction bubble is dragged behind. This effect continues in the wake the car leaves and is a modification to the principle invented by aerodynamicist Wunibald Kamm in the 1930's
    http://homepage.mac.com/christopher.z/hobby/80-AMXitems/Information/production/KammbackStory.html

    I note they dont mention that the headlights are shaped to distress the flow around the mirrors
     
  4. Patrick Wong

    Patrick Wong DIY Enthusiast

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  5. LIPriusFreak

    LIPriusFreak Can I haz JDM?

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    does it really matter who came up with it first? It's a fugly roof design given an equally fugly name "Pagoda"...doesn't even look like a freakin Pagoda! :rolleyes:
     
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  6. KK6PD

    KK6PD _ . _ . / _ _ . _

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    Well said!!!!!:D
     
  7. wjh308

    wjh308 Junior Member

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    Function over form...
    The only thing more stupid is having something on there that adds no function but is just for looks, like a spoiler!
    I think the pagoda roof is a thing of beauty. Perhaps you have to have some education in engineering to realise it.
     
  8. The Electric Me

    The Electric Me Go Speed Go!

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    I have a friend who purchased a Kia Rio...with a spoiler on the trunk.

    It was hillarious.

    However, function did apply itself, as it quickly became the trunk protection and opening and closing lever.

    By the way, the spoiler was sold "from the dealer-new", I couldn't believe KIA would even offer a spoiler on a RIO.

    Also, if you read the fine print, it says it's called "Pagoda Roof" named after Myanmar Towers-and is the indented shape that reduces the visual frontal profile of the vehicle. If that is the case? There are a LOT of Pagoda roofs out there...
     
  9. hyo silver

    hyo silver Awaaaaay

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    I quite like the roof, but I'm not so keen on the name. I guess 'double bubble' was taken.

    The earliest 'roof bump' I remember - not that it was the first, by any means - was added to a racing car in the sixties to accommodate a particularly tall driver. I think it was Dan Gurney driving the GT40 at LeMans, but I could be wrong.
     
  10. The Electric Me

    The Electric Me Go Speed Go!

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    Yeah, but technically if the Pagoda names refers to an indentation? Then the they aren't refering to the aerodynamic curve...they are refering to an indentation.

    If you read the notes at the bottom, it says the Pagoda Roof is called the Pagoda Roof because of indentation..not curvature...

    So if that is the case, I'm not convinced it's correct to say The Prius has a Pagoda Roof.
     
  11. LIPriusFreak

    LIPriusFreak Can I haz JDM?

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    I don't need a lesson in engineering to see that the prius roof design looks like they consulted with Jerry's Kids and possibly Corkie
     
  12. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    Cool!

    Could be a translation issue lol. Note the question mark regarding the stabiliser fins creating turbulence. It looks like the person who was translating the brochure couldn't quite get the idea behind that sentence.

    world class for sports cars? I don't know since sports cars tend to have "poorer" aerodynamics for downforce.
     
  13. sidecar

    sidecar Member

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    the curve with indentations is an aerodynamic feature

    there is no other major reason for the indentations to exist other than reason aerodynamic, same needs to be said of the curve, and the kamm back. They are a composite solution to reducing drag while maintaining a form that is 'usable' within its volume.

    the term 'roof' is often applied to aerofoils, as in laminar rooftop, and features such as these indentations, their cause and effect, have been recognised for decades.

    Mostly first researched in wing intersects where wing panels join at different angles, such aircraft examples as Stuka dive bombers and Vought Corsairs, but I do recall aero research in the late 80's that discussed using the features on Gen II cars that was published pretty widely in magazines such as Car & Driver, Fast Lane etc ...
     
  14. usbseawolf2000

    usbseawolf2000 HSD PhD

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    0.27 Cd is impressively low.