Get Optimal Aerodynamics with Quality Front Splitters and Winglets

Anyone who’s interested in aerodynamics and auto tuning presumably has a good understanding of the role front spoilers play in automotive handling. There are probably fewer enthusiasts, however, who understand where frontend splitters and winglets fit into the aerodynamic picture.

While spoilers are designed simply to direct air to flow around a car’s nose, splitters and winglets are designed specifically to route air above and below the car. Together, however, they form a trio of frontend ground effects that are perfect for creating downforce.

Front Splitters Are the Definitive Choice For Superior Downforce

Let’s be honest: while conversations about aerodynamics tend to be dominated by side flares and rear spoilers, experienced tuners know that when it comes to airflow, frontend ground effects are the accessories that matter the most. 

Controlling air movement over, around and ultimately under the frontend is the key to solid performance, which is why premium front splitter and winglet ground effects are the perfect pieces for high performance aerodynamics. The downforce produced by splitters and winglets is crucial for helping improve a car’s handling, stability and overall performance. 

And they’re especially beneficial for front-wheel drive (FWD) sports cars where the same downforce is also a significant contributor to increased grip and traction, particularly at high speeds. In spite of the complex nature of aerodynamics, the physics behind front lip splitters couldn’t be any simpler. 

As their name suggests, they’re engineered to “split” the air ahead of a car into distinct high and low pressure zones, with topside high pressure air pushing down on the car while underside low pressure air sucks it to the ground. It’s performance on the highway that matter the most though, and front splitters for cars don’t disappoint when it’s time to deliver the following:

• Greater downforce for improved traction. While the downforce created by a front splitter is a major contributor to frontend stability, the low pressure zone beneath the car effectively plants the tyres on FWDs into the ground, giving them a considerable improvement in traction.
• More confident, predictable handling. The combination of reduced lift and increased downforce produced by a splitter helps make steering more certain, as well as more predictable, especially when cornering.
• Better cooling for higher performance. Without any additional underside tray ducting, the accelerated airflow (Venturi) created by a front lip splitter offers a natural cooling benefit for oil reservoirs, and braking lines and components, allowing them to work more efficiently.

Make no mistake: while factors like the shape of the splitter’s leading edge, and the design and ground proximity of its undertray can all affect its performance, a properly designed car front splitter is capable of producing massive amounts of downforce. That’s why leading aftermarket ground effects manufacturers like ADRO, Flow Designs and Zero Offset invest heavily in model-specific wind tunnel testing for their splitters, as well as the winglets that accompany them.

Winglets Are the Answer For Low Pressure Drag Control 

Like splitters, winglets also qualify as articles of aerodynamic exotica whose functionality isn’t widely understood. Their job is to prevent the high pressure air that flows around the frontend from disturbing the low pressure zone under the frontend. The winglets themselves are relatively small, but their role in controlling wheel face and wheel well drag is significant, especially as it relates to:

• Increasing downforce. The vortices created by winglets play a substantial role in increasing downforce as they draw rough air away from the wheels that would typically disturb the area of low pressure under the car.
• Managing pressure differentials. Winglets help manage the turbulence and pressure differential around the front wheels, resulting in a significant reduction in unwanted drag and dangerous body lift.
• Improved handling. The increased downforce and managed pressure differential produced by winglets are instant contributors to improved handling and stability.

The fact is, when paired with the correct aftermarket front splitter, winglets are capable of delivering astonishingly stable low pressure airflow and negative lift. And because of the tight, high turbulence environments they’re required to work within, only the most resilient materials are sufficient for their construction.

Splitter and Winglet Composites Blended For High Speed Stability

While it’s easy to understand why weight is such a dominant factor with aerodynamic components, front splitters and winglets pose a unique dilemma. At high speeds, even the most modestly engineered car front splitters and winglets are capable of generating hundreds of kilos of downforce; and the amount of deflection that’s possible under those types of load can be disastrous. 

The lack of rigidity, especially on a splitter’s leading edge, would be a major destabilising factor for the low pressure zone under the car, with the potential for a catastrophic loss of stability at speed. The cutting edge polymers and composites used in high quality aftermarket front splitters and winglets are formulated to resist bending and deflecting at any speed, with the most common blends including:

• Rigid Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS). ABS is a lightweight, high strength polymer that’s frequently combined with polycarbonate (PC) alloys to create a range of special PC/ABS blends whose chemical and mechanical properties excel at resisting cracking, flexing or distorting.
• Pre-impregnated carbon fibre. By weight, the tensile strength of carbon fibre pre-impregnated with epoxy or phenolic resin is five times stronger than steel and offers extraordinary strength and stiffness when impacted by negative lift.
• High density polyethylene (HDPE). Not only is HDPE stronger than either ABS or carbon fibre, it also delivers superior resistance to sunlight and UV exposure – environmental concerns that are unavoidable when driving in Australia.

The composites used to construct splitters and winglets are compounded to withstand the severe stresses of high speed driving while still maintaining a constant ride height at all times. And where the potential persists for flexing or deflecting under acceleration, many splitter kits also include support rods for maximum rigidity, regardless of how the car is likely to be driven.

The Final Word

The aerodynamic grip of downforce is arguably the most important factor in handling, stability and acceleration – and it’s no coincidence that tuners who know how to squeeze out the most downforce can reasonably expect their cars to always have the aerodynamic advantage.

Premium quality front splitter and winglet ground effects are the keys to stable airflow and maximum downforce. And together with properly-engineered front spoilers, they’re the frontend performance combination that anytime would be the right time to buy.