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[Bojan]

While looking for something else, I've came across on wikipedia that Omega was designed by pininfarina.
Never heard of it before, TBH.

Can somebody verify?

After some digging, only found several pics of preproduction PFL in windtunnel (the bumper is slightly differnet around fog lights.
http://www.opelomega.pl/omega_b-1.html

[Diamond Black Geezer]

Pininfarina do/did rent their Wind Tunnel to other companies. Sounds odd, as a company the size of Opel you'd think could have their own made (and I'm sure they do) but for whatever reason certainly in this press photo (which I have seen before, it's in the older brochures, I'm sure) they spent at least some time in Pininfarina's Aero lab.

Perhaps the same reason you get sent to different hospitals for different treatments, instead of your nearest one. Some places have a particular machine or specialist there for your particular needs.


No connection with them, I'm afraid. Not that makes it any less of a design, of course. Opel's one of the best, and underrated styling houses in the world, and has been for donkeys years 

EDIT: and here it is!

http://www.pininfarina.com/en/services/wind_tunnel

[biggriffin]

Gm have there own wind tunnel, and test track x2, I think they still own Millbrook and rent it out.

[zirk]

Probably unrelated but IVe heard the Omega B spent a lot of time in the wind tunnel during development and the result was it had one of the lowest drag coefficient of its time for any Family Saloon Car.

[biggriffin]

Probably unrelated but IVe heard the Omega B spent a lot of time in the wind tunnel during development and the result was it had one of the lowest drag coefficient of its time for any Family Saloon Car.

Even tho it's as slippery as a snake, it still drinks fuel like it's going out of fashion, maybe they shoul have spent a few quid more on the engine development.

[zirk]

Probably unrelated but IVe heard the Omega B spent a lot of time in the wind tunnel during development and the result was it had one of the lowest drag coefficient of its time for any Family Saloon Car.

Even tho it's as slippery as a snake, it still drinks fuel like it's going out of fashion, maybe they shoul have spent a few quid more on the engine development.

You mean like a 1005bhp Veyron.

Here you go Project Omega, http://www.evo.co.uk/reviews/6544/vauxhall-omega

5th Paragraph down - ‘I spent ages thinking about it before deciding to slot it into an old Omega. Not many people realise the Omega has a very low drag co-efficient [0.28Cd], making it ideal for big speeds while remaining comfortable. And for me it isn’t a car if you have to trailer it, so I’ve driven it here and I’ll drive it home again.’

 

[Sir Tigger KC]

I reckon the Omega was designed by a couple of blokes in the canteen doodling on the back of a fag packet.   

[zirk]

I reckon the Omega was designed by a couple of blokes in the canteen doodling on the back of a fag packet.   

Yea, but they probably kept their jobs afterwards, unlike the Muppet's that designed the look of the soppy robo Ford Scorpio Ultima thing of the same era.

[Nick W]

Probably unrelated but I've heard the Omega B spent a lot of time in the wind tunnel during development and the result was it had one of the lowest drag coefficient of its time for any Family Saloon Car.

Even though Because  it's as slippery as a snake heavy as a mountain, it still drinks fuel like it's going out of fashion, maybe they should have spent a few quid more on the engine development. weight reduction

Corrected that for you

[Diamond Black Geezer]

That article is amazing! Bladdy good advert for the old girls, too!

Also makes a very important point - drag coefficient is the killer in terms of top speed, not overall power. In fact you have to double the power of the (then) latest Corvette to get the top speed up by another 13mph - whereas some minor aero fettling would do the same.

However, at 0.39 Cd, the Veyon trails massively behind the Omegas 0.28 Cd, so an estimated 225mph is perfectly plausible, and most likely be beaten, I'd reckon.

[Tony H]

That article is amazing! Bladdy good advert for the old girls, too!

Also makes a very important point - drag coefficient is the killer in terms of top speed, not overall power. In fact you have to double the power of the (then) latest Corvette to get the top speed up by another 13mph - whereas some minor aero fettling would do the same.

However, at 0.39 Cd, the Veyon trails massively behind the Omegas 0.28 Cd, so an estimated 225mph is perfectly plausible, and most likely be beaten, I'd reckon.

Google "rats Omega" an interesting watch