Canards

Canards, also called dive planes, are small fins fixed to the corners of the front bumper. They add downforce at the front axle and shape the airflow along the sides of the car. The canards listed here are made for a specific five-door hatchback, named with its years in the title.

Each canard works like a short wing: air flowing over and under it creates a pressure difference that pushes the nose down. Its tip also sheds a vortex that runs back along the body, which can help draw air out of the front wheel well. The effect builds quickly with speed and is small at road pace.

Canards act only at the front, so they move the aerodynamic balance forwards. On a car with little rear downforce, that can make the rear feel light in fast corners, which is why they usually go with a wing or a larger spoiler.

Weigh two points before fitting:

• Use: on a track car they are a tuning element of the front aero, while on a road car they are mostly styling.
• Road rules: sharp, protruding edges can conflict with rules on external projections, so check before road use and fit edge trim to any sharp corner.

Fix canards through the bumper skin with screws, nuts and washers, adding a backing plate where the skin is thin. The load at speed pulls hard on the fixings, so check them after each track session and after any brush with a kerb, cone or barrier.