When it comes to wind tunnel data, not every change translates to the real world.

Ford dynamics engineer Mike Del Zio was doing high-speed laps in a Mustang prototype, but the car wasn’t responding in corners the way he wanted it to. The wind tunnel data said one thing, but the real-world prototype said another: the car had too much front end lift.

So what was the fix?

Ford Aero Engineer Jonathan Gesek used a time-honored and track tested modification– a piece of duct tape on the grille gap.

“That little strip of tape made all the difference,” Del Zio said. “At the end of a straightaway, what confidence do you have in being able to brake and make a turn?”

That piece of tape lead to a change to the real car, a change that made the real 2018 Ford Mustang handle better at speed.

But what Ford really wants you to know is that the hundreds of hours of wind tunnel and real-world testing does more than just improve stability. It improves miles per gallon. It’s those aerodynamic changes that see the 2018 Ford Mustang improve up to 5.6 percent at the pump compared with last year, while still being more stable at speed.

So what did Ford do to make the ’18 Mustang sleeker and more stable? The nose is lower, for a start. And the front splitter grows too. Those changes add downforce. Underneath that splitter is a rocker shield that improves airflow under the car. All non-Performance Pack cars get active grille shutters. Those close off the grille at speed, sending air over and around the car instead of turbulently through the engine bay.

Combined, the changes reduce drag by up to 3-percent. They make the 2018 Mustang stick better and use less fuel. EcoBoost cars jump from 30 mpg to 32 on the highway for auto-transmission cars and 31 for manual cars. The automatic transmission GT climbs from 24 to 25 mpg highway. Manual GTs stay the same.

More miles for your dollar and better cornering on track? Sounds good.

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