Patent ID: 7874610

Claim:
A drag reduction device for a motor vehicle having rear vehicle structure, the drag reduction device comprising: a tailgate assembly oriented transversely to the motor vehicle and having a first panel forming a recess portion, wherein said first panel has a planar portion which spans substantially continuously across the transverse length of said tailgate assembly and said recess portion spans substantially across the transverse length of said first panel and is adjacent and parallel to said planar portion, said tailgate assembly operatively secured to the rear vehicle structure; and a plate member operatively connected to said tailgate assembly at a first end of said plate member and configured to be selectively positioned at a first position, a second position, a third position, and a fourth position relative to said first panel, said first position being substantially inside said recess portion for stowage purposes, said second position being a substantially vertical orientation at least partially extended outside said recess portion, said third position being a forwardly extended orientation outside said recess portion, and said fourth position being a rearwardly extended orientation outside said recess portion, wherein said plate member has a length sufficient to provide at least one of a reduction in horizontal drag coefficient and a reduction in lift coefficient.