Rear Wings & Spoilers

Spoiler or wing

A spoiler sits on the bodywork, as a boot lip, a ducktail or a roof spoiler over the rear glass, and breaks up the airflow that would otherwise lift the tail. A wing stands clear of the body on uprights and is an aerofoil in its own right: it makes downforce, and drag with it. On a road car a spoiler or a low-mount wing is mostly a styling choice. A high-mount GT wing earns its place on a car that sees circuits.

Rear downforce alone moves the aerodynamic balance rearwards, so a large wing works best alongside front aero such as front lips, canards and a rear diffuser, set up as one package.

Boot mount or chassis mount

A boot-mount wing bolts to the boot lid, so the lid and its hinges carry the load. That is simple to fit and the boot still opens, but a lid that flexes at speed lets the wing lose a degree or two of angle just when the downforce is wanted. A chassis-mount wing runs its uprights past the lid into the rear structure, so the load goes into the body shell. That is the stronger choice for track work, and usually means cutting and sealing the lid around the uprights.

Many wings are sold as a blade with separate stands, and stands come in different heights, such as Superior Auto Creative's high-position mounts. Check what is included before you order.

Materials and fit

• FRP is affordable and easy to repair, and generally needs painting to match.
• Carbon fibre is lighter and stiffer for its size, and its clear finish needs protecting from sun.
• Aluminium appears in race blades, end plates and stands.

Boot-lid wings and spoilers are shaped for one body: a 326 Power Manriki Wing made for the Z33 follows the Z33's hatch, not a Z34's. Choose by chassis code, and see the rest of the exterior range, including boot lids, for parts that go with it.