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All the text below is strictly my own opinion, but based on good guessing ;-)
The short answer to your question is that the spoiler on our volvos doesn't really do much one way or the other with respect to performance. It is simply an aesthetic item. The angle on my V70's spoiler is about zero degrees. I agree with one of the previous comments that it can reduce turbulence at the back end and perhaps give a small benefit in fuel mileage.
From what I know about race cars (the open wheel type), they don't get spoilers and front wings until they have a certain amount of horsepower. This is because while they can help any car with downforce, they can really hinder a cars top speed in a straightaway. I'm talking about cars which have more than 100 hp per 1000 pounds of weight. My V70 rated at 236 hp has a power to weight ratio of 236hp/3400lb = .07. the Skip Barber Formula Dodge (no spoilers or ground effects) has a ratio of 130hp/1040lb = .125. I don't know which race cars are right at the cut-off point, but the Barber Dodge pro-series cars (with ground effects and spoilers) has more than 200 hp and weight of around 1350. That puts it's ratio around 200/1350 = .148,
or around twice the power to weight ratio of a stock V70 T5. So from a performance standpoint, we aren't even in the ballpark where a racecar driver would even want them.
Just my .02, I'm sure there's some real racers out there who will put this wanna-be in his place.
-Greg Coffeng
98 V70 T5M
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