Fastest Color= Grey?????

I agree grey is one of the fastest colors out there. Supercars such as the Saleen S7, Carrera GT, Mclaren F1 and Zonda use that color and Fighters like the F/A-22 and F-15 Eagle uses it but there is one color that is slightly faster and that is black. Just look at the SR-71 Blackbird!.

 

I also heard that, back in the '60s, computer models indicated that dead air pockets to create an air-to-air gradient were more efficient than "streamlined" surfaces.

But I think that was for supersonic air flows.

For sub-sonic, laminar flow is probably still better.

F1 cars aren't quite past the Mach, yet. (But that would make a live race quite a trip to see/hear, no?)
(Schumi's car crossed the finish line first, but Ruben's sound passed it first. )

 

I thought the black color had something to do with the materials it was coated with for heat expansion.

Uro - like a golf ball.

 

FWIW, the "Lightweight" racing E-Types were gray (grey). Well, silver anyway. Don't know if the color was chosen to enhance speed, tho. I think their success had more to do with Malcolm Sayer's aerodynamics, a screaming little DOHC 6 and some ballsy drivers.

 

IIRC, the purpose of dimples on a golf ball are to CREATE turbulence. The spin of the ball helps create lift. That's why side-spin on the ball will contribute to a hook or slice.

A better analogy might be hull design. I seem to recall an America's Cup boat that started using a slightly "rough" surface to accomplish the same thing. Same principle for the head-to-toe bodysuits Olympic swimmwers started using a few years ago.

 

another good example is the ribbed condom. contrary to what the marketers claim, the ribbed surface deflect the woman's fluids producing less friction than a regular condom.

 

I was thinking of fluids as well but not as far as nsxnick went. Shark skin and dolphin skin are also irregularly surfaced for better performance thru water. Air being another fluid would work the same over a car's surface, I would think.

 

Hairy cars? Or denticles?

 

Hi:

I forgot where, but I read that the little patch of paint below the windscreen on the nose on some MotoGP bikes had the special "rough textured"(?) paint so that it created the right turbulance to improve the airflow over the rider, or something like that...

 

That's it, I'm going to put "Speed Holes" in the hood and roof of my M3

 

Damn it, you beat me to it. Well, its time to dig the pick axe out of the garage.