Against the wind

Against the Wind 

The carmaker has been working on car aerodynamics for longer than you might expect. While sharply defined lines help reduce air resistance today, rounded shapes were once preferred.

From an aerodynamic point of view, a drop of water is the shape that has the least air resistance. Before World War II, several Škoda cars tried to approximate this shape. A prototype known as the Škoda 935 Dynamic caused a sensation at the Prague Motor Show in 1935, followed by the Škoda Popular Monte Carlo (1937) and the “highway” version of the Škoda Rapid 1500 OHV (1939). These three cars set the trend in aerodynamics decades ago.

At the end of the 1930s, highways began to appear, and people started driving faster. Speed became more important to customers, and carmakers gradually began to strive for teardrop-shaped aerodynamic designs inspired by nature.

Jan Jagrik

Head of ESW – Aerodynamics and CFD Simulations

Škoda 935 Dynamic

The streamlined shape of the Škoda 935 Dynamic immediately attracted well-deserved attention, as did its unusual technical solutions. Its strictly streamlined shape reflected  the early use of aerodynamic science in car body design. As early as 1935, this unique prototype achieved a remarkably low air drag coefficient of cx = 0.37, and subsequent production models also benefitted from the know‑how gained. Incidentally, the only completed example of the Škoda 935 Dynamic aerodynamic saloon was sold as a used car to a private owner in 1939. In the 1960s, the carmaker bought it back for its emerging collection of historic models, and after extensive renovation, it is now part of the Škoda Museum collection.

Škoda Popular Monte Carlo

In January 1936, the Škoda Popular took an impressive second place in the under 1,500 cm3 category on the demanding Monte Carlo Rally. The carmaker’s management soon offered customers a sports car in roadster and coupé versions, celebrating this outstanding sporting achievement. In addition to progressive technical solutions, such as a rigid yet lightweight backbone chassis frame, independent suspension on all wheels and a transaxle drive chain configuration, the Škoda Popular Monte Carlo also scored points with its elegant aerodynamic body. 

Škoda Rapid 1500 OHV

This model was produced from August 1938. Compared with the original 1.4-litre four-cylinder engine with SV valve timing, the OHV version was equipped with a 1,564 cm3 engine with its output of 42 hp. With a three-speed transmission, the Rapid 1500 OHV could reach speeds of up to 110 km/h. Between 1939 and 1941, a version with an aerodynamically optimised two-door “highway-type” body was also produced, with only 110 units rolling off the production lines.

Aerodynamics testing

You may be surprised to learn that aerodynamic testing of cars in wind tunnels began almost 90 years ago. The Prague Research and Testing Institute had an aerodynamic tunnel as early as the 1920s. The youngest of the three cars – the Škoda Rapid 1500 OHV “highway” model – is mentioned in a report from 1938 in the company archives, when a wooden model on a scale of 1:6 was tested in the tunnel in Letňany, Prague, and compared with a model of a car with a standard body.

Škoda’s traditionally strong involvement in motorsport also intersects with the topic of aerodynamics. An example of this is an unusual version of the legendary Škoda 130 RS A5 (type 738) coupé in Essen. In 1978, it was used at Hoškovice Airport for a series of measurements aimed at optimising aerodynamic drag and increasing downforce on the rear drive wheels at high speeds. The prototype with several spoilers could reach speeds of up to 250 km/h, and the 140 kW four-cylinder engine was cooled by a series of additional air intakes.