Scoop 2 Ferrari develops fold-out rear seats that transform 4-seat convertibles into 2-seat sports cars Two patents describe a rear-seat design that reduces the weight, improves airflow and makes convertible GTs even cooler.
January 30, 2023Auto - Show Biz clinic originally published at Auto - Show Biz clinic
Two patents document a new rear-seat design that reduces weight, improves airflow, and makes convertible GTs even cooler.
Ferrari has developed a new rear-seat design for its four-seat convertible GTs like the Portofino M that can turn the car from a four-seater into a two-seater while reducing the effects of wind buffeting in the cabin with the roof down.
In two patents CarBuzz has discovered with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), Ferrari details the invention and its operation. The basic idea is simple. Ferrari has a simple idea for a rear seatback. Instead of relying upon a clip-in wind diverter, which is cumbersome and difficult to install and store, it envisions a backrest that can close off the rear area of the cabin when the rearmost seats don’t need to be used.
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When the diffuser is not in use, or rather when the rear seats are needed, the backrest it locks into place at the bottom near the seat squabs with either a mechanical or an electrically-actuated latch.
When the latch mechanism is released, the rear backrest pivots upwards around its top-mounted hinge until it is nearly level with the car’s beltline. The rear seating area is removed just like a normal wind-deflector. However, the backrest becomes the wind deflector. The backrest has slots that are carefully placed to regulate airflow and reduce aerodynamic drag.
Auto - Show Biz clinic originally published at Auto - Show Biz clinic
