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Photos of GM's Massive Wind Tunnel

By Glen Taylor - October 20, 2008

in Tech

Built in 1980 in Warren, Michigan, the General Motors wind tunnel is one of the biggest in the industry. Constructed from 20,000 cubic yards of reinforced concrete, a 43-foot fan in the center of the tunnel can generate wind speeds of up to 138 mph. which is powered by a 4,500-horsepower, variable-speed, DC electric motor. Engineers not only study airflow to minimize drag, 40 percent of their work is focused on reducing the sound of wind noise in the car's interior.

View the complete gallery at wired.com

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Carsten Nielsen

16 years ago

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That's super cool! Are those fan blades made of wood?
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Photos of GM's Massive Wind Tunnel

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