Apollo Tyres has now ventured beyond
the world of automotive tyres. The R&D team at Apollo Tyres, in an
exclusive partnership with Porsche, has developed the new, variable front
spoiler of the recently introduced Porsche 911 turbo and 911 turbo S. The
spoiler, branded as ‘Air Master by Vredestein’, is an integrated part of
the Porsche Active Aerodynamics system and protected with a series of
patents by both partners.
Recently, Apollo Tyres became the first
manufacturer to produce an all season tyre using European natural rubber or
Russian Dandelion, as a part of the EU-PEARLS project. This project was
undertaken to reduce the dependence of tyre manufacturers on rubber trees,
which is mostly grown in Asia. Commenting on this innovative spoiler, Peter Snel, Chief, R&D (PV), Apollo Tyres
Ltd, said “I am quite excited with this innovation by the team,
especially because the team has gone beyond the usual tyre-related research. This
also demonstrates Porsche's confidence on us for developing such an item. The
variable front spoiler is made
with a specially developed EPDM
(ethylene propylene diene monomer) rubber, which combines flexibility, to adapt
to the required aerodynamics under all weather conditions and ambient
temperatures, with the strength and elasticity to withstand impact damage from
road particles.”
At low speeds, the spoiler retracts
beneath the bumper to ensure maximum ground clearance, allowing the 911 turbo
to pass speed bumps without a hitch. At higher speeds, the spoiler extends on
the outside to optimise the airflow around the wheels and reduce fuel
consumption. In the performance position, the spoiler is fully extended to
create extra downforce on the front wheels which, combined with the fully
extracted rear wing, results in exceptional road-holding.
The spoiler is powered pneumatically
with several air chambers giving it the required shape. The entire system was
developed by a dedicated cross functional team from Apollo Tyres R&D and
Apollo Vredestein manufacturing. All production processes were also developed
by the team internally, and actual production of these spoilers have been
started in a special production cell few months back.