{
 "version": "2026-10-20",
 "license": "Dimension sheets: CC BY 4.0. Standard and published-size files: CC BY 4.0. Xem Studio's own designs (files_license = Xem Studio Design License): free to use and sell things from, not to redistribute as files — https://xemstudio.com/license/. Other publishers' files: their own license, linked beside them.",
 "slug": "rear-wing-single-element",
 "name": "Single-element rear wing (race car)",
 "kind": "standard",
 "category": "Car design",
 "group": "Car aero",
 "year": null,
 "question": "What is a single-element rear wing and how does it make downforce?",
 "tags": [
  "vehicle design",
  "car aero",
  "rc design",
  "aerodynamics"
 ],
 "aliases": [
  "rear wing",
  "race car rear wing",
  "single element wing",
  "single plane wing",
  "inverted wing downforce",
  "how does a car wing work",
  "rear wing angle of attack",
  "GT wing",
  "time attack wing",
  "rear wing downforce drag",
  "wing chord and span car"
 ],
 "overall_mm": {
  "length": null,
  "width": null,
  "height": null
 },
 "official_cad": false,
 "xem_status": "free-files",
 "les": false,
 "free_files": 1,
 "url": "https://xemstudio.com/objects/rear-wing-single-element/",
 "sheet_txt": "https://xemstudio.com/objects/rear-wing-single-element/sheet.txt",
 "sheet": {
  "basis": "Design rules and figures from the cited sources; example geometry by Xem Studio",
  "overall_mm": {
   "length": null,
   "width": null,
   "height": null
  },
  "notes": [
   "A race-car rear wing is an inverted wing: its profile and angle push the rear of the car down, trading drag for rear grip. HP Academy notes that more curvature gives more downforce and more drag, while flatter profiles are more efficient but make less downforce (HPA rear wing theory).",
   "Downforce rises roughly linearly with angle at low angles while the lift-to-drag ratio slowly worsens; peak downforce comes with a little trailing-edge separation, and large-scale separation makes downforce fall (HPA).",
   "Size matters strongly: in a 2009 LMP CFD study, shrinking the wing from 2000 x 300 mm to 1600 x 250 mm cut downforce by 34% and drag by 31% (Mulsanne's Corner).",
   "Used on: Audi R15 (2009 LMP), Acura ARX-02a (2009 LMP).",
   "The file is a reference example built by Xem Studio from the numbers above (Span/chord from the 2009 LMP wing box (Mulsanne's Corner); 6 deg is the UIUC test incidence; endplate height illustrative. Scale to your car.). Sizes the sources do not fix are illustrative; scale the example to your own vehicle."
  ],
  "table": {
   "columns": [
    "parameter",
    "value or range",
    "source"
   ],
   "rows": [
    [
     "Downforce vs angle",
     "Roughly linear at low angle; L/D slowly worsens with angle",
     "HPA rear wing"
    ],
    [
     "Peak downforce condition",
     "Slight trailing-edge separation; large-scale separation reduces downforce",
     "HPA rear wing"
    ],
    [
     "LMP rear wing box, 2008 rules",
     "2000 mm span x 300 mm chord",
     "Mulsanne's Corner"
    ],
    [
     "LMP rear wing box, 2009 rules",
     "1600 mm span x 250 mm chord",
     "Mulsanne's Corner"
    ],
    [
     "2008 benchmark wing (CFD)",
     "1739 lb downforce, 226 lb drag, L/D 7.69",
     "Mulsanne's Corner"
    ],
    [
     "2008 profile scaled to 2009 box",
     "1146 lb (-34%), 156 lb drag (-31%), L/D 7.36",
     "Mulsanne's Corner"
    ],
    [
     "Wind-tunnel test incidence (open-wheel front wing)",
     "alpha = 6 deg at Re 1.1e6",
     "Jasinski & Selig (UIUC)"
    ]
   ]
  }
 },
 "sheet_text": "Single-element rear wing (race car) — dimension sheet\nSource: Xem Studio, https://xemstudio.com/objects/rear-wing-single-element/  (sheet CC BY 4.0; files Xem Studio Design License, https://xemstudio.com/license/)\nBasis: Design rules and figures from the cited sources; example geometry by Xem Studio\nCatalog version: 2026-10-20\n\nSizes: see table below\n- A race-car rear wing is an inverted wing: its profile and angle push the rear of the car down, trading drag for rear grip. HP Academy notes that more curvature gives more downforce and more drag, while flatter profiles are more efficient but make less downforce (HPA rear wing theory).\n- Downforce rises roughly linearly with angle at low angles while the lift-to-drag ratio slowly worsens; peak downforce comes with a little trailing-edge separation, and large-scale separation makes downforce fall (HPA).\n- Size matters strongly: in a 2009 LMP CFD study, shrinking the wing from 2000 x 300 mm to 1600 x 250 mm cut downforce by 34% and drag by 31% (Mulsanne's Corner).\n- Used on: Audi R15 (2009 LMP), Acura ARX-02a (2009 LMP).\n- The file is a reference example built by Xem Studio from the numbers above (Span/chord from the 2009 LMP wing box (Mulsanne's Corner); 6 deg is the UIUC test incidence; endplate height illustrative. Scale to your car.). Sizes the sources do not fix are illustrative; scale the example to your own vehicle.\n\nparameter  value or range  source\nDownforce vs angle  Roughly linear at low angle; L/D slowly worsens with angle  HPA rear wing\nPeak downforce condition  Slight trailing-edge separation; large-scale separation reduces downforce  HPA rear wing\nLMP rear wing box, 2008 rules  2000 mm span x 300 mm chord  Mulsanne's Corner\nLMP rear wing box, 2009 rules  1600 mm span x 250 mm chord  Mulsanne's Corner\n2008 benchmark wing (CFD)  1739 lb downforce, 226 lb drag, L/D 7.69  Mulsanne's Corner\n2008 profile scaled to 2009 box  1146 lb (-34%), 156 lb drag (-31%), L/D 7.36  Mulsanne's Corner\nWind-tunnel test incidence (open-wheel front wing)  alpha = 6 deg at Re 1.1e6  Jasinski & Selig (UIUC)\n\nFiles elsewhere (not hosted by Xem Studio; license as stated by the publisher):\n- High Performance Academy: Aerodynamic performance devices for club level cars: rear wing theory — web — Publisher's page; dimensions are facts — https://www.hpacademy.com/courses/aerodynamics-fundamentals/aerodynamic-performance-devices-for-club-level-cars-rear-wing-theory\n- Mulsanne's Corner: The Rise of the Swan Neck (2009 LMP rear wing CFD study) — web — Publisher's page; dimensions are facts — https://www.mulsannescorner.com/rearwingLMPCFD2009.html\n- University of Illinois / SAE: Experimental Study of Open-Wheel Race-Car Front Wings (Jasinski & Selig, SAE 1998) — web — Publisher's page; dimensions are facts — https://m-selig.web.engr.illinois.edu/pubs/JasinskiSelig-1998-MSEC-SAE-Trans-V107-S6.pdf\n\nFree files (Xem Studio Design License, Xem Studio; STEP + STL, 1 parts): https://xemstudio.com/files/hardware/rear-wing-single-element/index.json\nAPI: https://xemstudio.com/api/geometry?object=rear-wing-single-element\n",
 "sources": [
  {
   "publisher": "High Performance Academy",
   "title": "Aerodynamic performance devices for club level cars: rear wing theory",
   "url": "https://www.hpacademy.com/courses/aerodynamics-fundamentals/aerodynamic-performance-devices-for-club-level-cars-rear-wing-theory",
   "formats": [
    "web"
   ],
   "license": "Publisher's page; dimensions are facts",
   "license_verified": true,
   "hosted": false
  },
  {
   "publisher": "Mulsanne's Corner",
   "title": "The Rise of the Swan Neck (2009 LMP rear wing CFD study)",
   "url": "https://www.mulsannescorner.com/rearwingLMPCFD2009.html",
   "formats": [
    "web"
   ],
   "license": "Publisher's page; dimensions are facts",
   "license_verified": true,
   "hosted": false
  },
  {
   "publisher": "University of Illinois / SAE",
   "title": "Experimental Study of Open-Wheel Race-Car Front Wings (Jasinski & Selig, SAE 1998)",
   "url": "https://m-selig.web.engr.illinois.edu/pubs/JasinskiSelig-1998-MSEC-SAE-Trans-V107-S6.pdf",
   "formats": [
    "web"
   ],
   "license": "Publisher's page; dimensions are facts",
   "license_verified": true,
   "hosted": false
  }
 ],
 "xem": {
  "status": "free-files",
  "sheet_free": true,
  "mesh_price_usd": null,
  "step_price_usd": null,
  "tolerance_mm": null
 },
 "related": [
  "rear-wing-dual-element",
  "swan-neck-wing-mount",
  "gurney-flap-wickerbill",
  "wing-endplates",
  "front-splitter",
  "splitter-tunnels-front-diffuser"
 ],
 "fits": [],
 "dimensions": "exact (nominal, no printing tolerance)",
 "dimension_rule": "All geometry on Xem Studio is exact (nominal, true size) with no printing tolerance. Where a part meets another part, the object lists its mating features (feature, exact size, what it mates with, fit class: press, slide, run, socket, clamp or designed). Apply your process's allowance to those features only; 'designed' gaps are part of the design and stay as drawn.",
 "mating": [],
 "faq": [
  {
   "q": "Is more wing angle always more downforce?",
   "a": "No. Downforce rises roughly linearly at low angles, but once large-scale separation occurs downforce falls while drag keeps rising (HPA)."
  },
  {
   "q": "Does a bigger wing always help?",
   "a": "It adds downforce and drag together; the 2008-to-2009 LMP wing-size cut lost 34% downforce and 31% drag (Mulsanne's Corner)."
  }
 ],
 "files_license": {
  "name": "Xem Studio Design License",
  "holder": "Xem Studio",
  "url": "https://xemstudio.com/license/",
  "note": "Xem Studio's own design: free to use, print, modify and sell things made from it; not to be republished or redistributed as files."
 },
 "offers": [
  {
   "file": "rear-wing-single-element-rear-wing",
   "formats": [
    "step",
    "stl"
   ],
   "price_usd": 0,
   "license": "Xem Studio Design License",
   "step": "https://xemstudio.com/files/hardware/rear-wing-single-element/rear-wing-single-element-rear-wing.step",
   "stl": "https://xemstudio.com/files/hardware/rear-wing-single-element/rear-wing-single-element-rear-wing.stl",
   "note": "single rear wing: span 1600 × chord 250 mm at 6°, endplates 300 mm, inverted NACA 4412 section (mounts from below)"
  }
 ],
 "markdown": "https://xemstudio.com/objects/rear-wing-single-element/index.md"
}