Chevrolet has big plans for the C8 Corvette, such as the long-awaited ZR-1, the long-rumored Zora, and the hybrid E-Ray. A patent from General Motors that was granted on January 9, 2024, may give us information about active aerodynamics, which could one day be found in the most advanced sports cars. The text says that the front and back wings have angles of attack that change all the time depending on how the car moves and what is going on around it. The flexible Aero is controlled by an ECU that gets information like yaw, longitudinal, and lateral acceleration. The Aero may also be affected by information from an electronic limited-slip differential (eLSD), like the speeds of the wheels compared to each other. The idea of active Aero has been introduced previously. Our friends at CarBuzz found this patent last week and compared it to the technology Pagani put on its Huayra supercar more than ten years ago. Pagani used two split flaps on the Huayra’s nose and rear deck to get the look they wanted. A future Corvette might only try to shift one wing on each end of the car. Let’s say that one of the many sensors in the ECU picks up on understeering. According to the patent, the back wing would be “deactivated” to give the driver the extra spin they need. Instead, the front or back aerodynamics may change to make sure that torque is applied as efficiently as possible while the eLSD is sending torque to a certain wheel. Think about the fact that these changes are made right away or, in some cases, based on what the driver wants to do or what the ECU thinks the driver will do next. As with any patent, GM hasn’t promised or even said that it will put these features on the market. Businesses often brand ideas like these, and sometimes they give up on them completely, like Ford did with their technology for self-repossession. In this case, it’s good for all of us. But the Vette’s dynamic Aero is right in line with the evolution of GM’s flagship car and a good fit for the technical show that the Zora has been advertised for six years. Even so, it’s good to see that America’s supercar is still full of wonders and new areas to discover, even now that it has a midengine.
