# Question about a particular convertible and wind resistance

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-a-particular-convertible-and-wind-resistance/995658>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [January 5, 2024, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-a-particular-convertible-and-wind-resistance/995658 "2024-01-05T16:25:46Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\
**Post date:** [January 5, 2024, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-a-particular-convertible-and-wind-resistance/995658/1 "2024-01-05T16:25:46Z")

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The newest Bugatti is a convertible called the _Mistral_- it has over 1500 hp and the top speed is limited to 261 mph. My question is, what happens when you stick your hand outside the car at that speed?

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**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\
**Post date:** [January 5, 2024, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-a-particular-convertible-and-wind-resistance/995658/2 "2024-01-05T17:44:48Z")

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You mean “The Bowling Ball Formerly Known as Your Head”?

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**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\
**Post date:** [January 5, 2024, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-a-particular-convertible-and-wind-resistance/995658/3 "2024-01-05T17:48:26Z")

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I’m guessing that at top speed, opening the window would cause HUGE buffeting and instability. So let’s ignore that part of things.

Here’s what it looks like in a plane at 200 MPH. Not too bad, but probably not a lot of buffeting that would make things move more violently.

> **[Man sticks arm out of airplane window while going 200 mph, shows cool...](https://www.newsflare.com/video/541826/man-sticks-arm-out-of-airplane-window-while-going-200-mph-shows-cool-rippling-effect-on-skin)**
>
> Blake works for a company in El Mirage, California that flies high-performance single-engine airplanes with 550 horsepower. On this particular flight, Blake sticks his arm out the open window while the airplane is going 200 mph. The wind blows back...

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\
**Post date:** [January 5, 2024, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-a-particular-convertible-and-wind-resistance/995658/4 "2024-01-05T19:34:30Z")

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> [@Telemark](#):
>
> I’m guessing that at top speed, opening the window would cause HUGE buffeting and instability. So let’s ignore that part of things.

With the top down, you don’t have to roll down the window.

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**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\
**Post date:** [January 5, 2024, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-a-particular-convertible-and-wind-resistance/995658/5 "2024-01-05T20:07:52Z")

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It doesn’t come with a top 🙂 It’s not a convertible, it’s a roadster. I can’t find any pictures with the door windows lowered, or anything pictures of the window controls; maybe they don’t go down?

Either way, just putting your hand up would suffice for your question, and I suspect it wouldn’t be too different from the video of the plane at 200 MPH. I’m sure it wouldn’t be comfortable or sustainable for long.