Integrating Simulation and Test to Develop the Aerodynamics of the New Land Rover Defender 2024-01-2537
Meeting customer expectations along with regulatory requirements for efficiency and emissions reduction requires that even highly functional automotive products, such as 4x4s, are developed for aerodynamics efficiency. This is true of iconic vehicles, such as the Land Rover Defender.
This paper discusses the redefinition of an icon: the aerodynamics development of the All-New Land Rover Defender. It outlines a strategy based on integrating simulation and test approaches: unsteady Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulation and Full-Scale Wind Tunnel testing.
After outlining the integrated development model built around these toolsets, it demonstrates the natural fit between early phase work and simulation, where the focus was on optimizing vehicle volumes and proportions. The growing use of wind tunnel testing, as the design matures, is also explored, starting with full scale clay models before transitioning to a more representative bespoke test property.
The overall development process is illustrated by exploring how the need for a range of changes were identified and executed across a range of geometric zones and vehicle components is described, including: front bumper, body outboard corners, brake cooling ducts, profiled grille shutter vanes, trailing edge design, underbody, and wheel design.
