The automotive world creates its own problems. SUVs were meant for hard work like towing and sports cars were meant to go fast, but as we've combined these two spheres into one, performance SUVs have had to get creative. Take, for example, the Aston Martin DBX707, which has a gargantuan rear diffuser made of carbon fiber to improve performance. But in the USA, that same Aston isn't rated for towing, as the available power deployable tow hitch is a single-size item and can't be swapped out for a larger tow ball as is needed in America. Retrofitting an aftermarket receiver will prove tricky because of the aforementioned diffuser. But Porsche thinks it has a way around such a conundrum.
Patent filings uncovered and filed with both the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and the Deutsches Patent- und Markenanmt (DPMA) have revealed an active diffuser design and an automatically deployable tow hitch that could have big implications for performance SUVs and the aerodynamic efficiency of tow-rated EVs.