The concept of active aerodynamics in cars is nothing new. One of the first to use it was a Porsche 959 from 1986. Fast forward more than 40 years later, and you have a car like the Zenvo TSR-S with its ballet rear wing constantly shifting direction around corners.
Active aerodynamics isn’t just about going faster around corners. It can also help stop cars more effectively with prime examples like the Bugatti Veyron and Chiron and other recent hypercars. These air brakes are located at the rear of the vehicle, usually on the wings. But one Youtube channel thinks it’s still too small.
If you’re familiar with Garage 54, you know where it’s headed. If not, we’ll explain what it’s all about. This channel features some of the weirdest experiments and builds for cars. It could also be said to answer a question that no one thought of. In that case, can the Lada 1600 roof be an effective air brake system? The crew of Garage 54 pulled out a circular saw, a welding machine and some hydraulic drill bits to find out.
The final product looks cute, if not a touch on the sketchy side. However, the players finished building and ran some braking tests on the dismembered Lada. Channel host Vlad says it gets cold inside when the air brake is on. After all, the roof also acts as a ladle to bring all the cold air into the cabin.
As for the effectiveness of the roof air brake, it works to some degree. However, there is a risk of the roof shifting at a higher speed. That said, Vlad says the team isn’t done with this experiment yet, and you can expect them to revisit it soon.
