GMC Willingly Compares 2018 Terrain to a Football (Because Aerodynamics
Ever seen someone compare a vehicle to a football before? Well, now you have:
What do a football and an SUV have in common? Both rely on exceptional aerodynamics to perform to their fullest, and the 2018 GMC Terrain and Wilson leather NFL game footballs are perfect examples.
So, there you have it. Aerodynamics render the 2018 GMC Terrain on a level comparable to a football, which is the conceit of GMC’s press release, “2018 GMC Terrain Scores an Aerodynamic Touchdown.” You see? It’s a touchdown because it’s like a football!
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The key message of GMC’s football analogy is that the new Terrain is optimized to be exceptionally aerodynamic thanks to more than 300 hours of wind tunnel testing. But to punch up the idea of lower drag and better fuel economy, GMC actually reached out to the folks at Wilson to help string out the analogy.
“Many look at our NFL football and see it as a simple object,” said Daniel Hare, aerodynamics research engineer, Advanced Innovation, Wilson Sporting Goods. “However, the amount of engineering, particularly in the area of aerodynamics, that has gone into the ball is pretty extraordinary. Every millimeter of the football has been designed to maximize the airflow around it so we can extend its flight, reduce drag, and help maintain stability as much as possible.”
So, that’s how a football is designed, then. And now, about the Terrain:
“Reducing the aerodynamic drag of an SUV is always a challenge,” said GMC Aerodynamic Engineer Alicia Bidwell. “Our engineering team paid attention to even the smallest details to deliver the size and cargo space our customers want. The styling that you can see—and the mechanical components that you can’t—work together in perfect aerodynamic harmony. Ultimately, this means up to three more miles per gallon for the Terrain driver for an EPA-estimated 26 mpg combined for AWD models.”
And now you know! Don’t you feel so much better?
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