Most of the money goes on the outside

Bodywork, wheels, paint and aero absorb most of a budget and return almost none of it in the way the car behaves. Five guides on the visible half of the job — and on the one part of it that argues back.

Everything in this section

• 01Most of the money goes on the outsideBodywork, wheels and paint absorb the majority of a typical budget and contribute almost nothing measurable to how the car goes.
• 02A wheel is the only cosmetic part that fights backUnsprung and rotating mass are real, and a larger wheel usually costs ride and response to buy appearance.
• 03A body kit is an aerodynamic decision made by eyeMost add-on aero is styled rather than developed, and the ones that were developed have the tunnel time to show for it.
• 04Two weeks in a booth for a colour nobody asked forRefinishing is labour, not material, and the schedule is set by flatting and curing rather than by spraying.