SOME of the best minds working for BMW can be described as "airheaded fanatics". To be an aerodynamicist at one of the world's top luxury carmakers requires nothing less.

Aerodynamics is the study of air in motion, especially its interaction with moving objects - in this case, cars.

But getting to grips with something as intangible as air requires not only serious talent but serious investment. We were in Munich to check out the company's $347-million wind tunnel facility and gain insight into how these "airheads" keep the wind in favour of every BMW owner.

A car with good aerodynamics reaps many rewards: Better fuel consumption, comfort, acceleration and top speed.

Car manufacturers commonly use wind tunnels to test and reduce air resistance on their vehicles and, at the moment, the best weapon in the field is owned not by Ferrari, but by BMW.

BMW's Aerodynamic Test Centre (ATC) comprises two ring-shaped wind tunnels powered by two enormous fans. The larger of the two (inset) is an 8m tall 4.4 megawatt colossus that can generate wind speeds of up to 300kmh.

The ATC is so accurate it can measure the effect of a paper airplane resting on the car and even the effect of other vehicles while overtaking. With such advanced tech at its disposal, it's no wonder BMW has made huge leaps forward in aero efficiency.

A 1987 BMW 320i Convertible, for example, had a drag coefficient of 0.39, while today's version only has 0.27. Its fuel efficiency has improved from about 8km per litre to 14.5km per litre.

Of course, aerodynamics alone cannot cut its consumption so drastically. BMW's "EfficientDynamics" philosophy involves maximising the efficiency of other components, such as engines and transmissions.

One such upgrade is their new 3.0-litre turbocharged in-line six-cylinder engine which incorporates both turbocharging and valve management, a first for BMW, and improves fuel efficiency by a further 9 per cent from before.

Also revealed was their new eight-speed gearbox, which is said to be almost 3kg lighter than the previous six-speed automatic, and will consume 6 per cent less fuel.

So, the next time you drive a BMW, keep in mind the benefits created for you by a giant fan and a bunch of airheads. It's certainly not just hot air.

ANDY HUM IN MUNICH, GERMANY

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