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The structure of the turbulent flow over a simplified automotive model, the Ahmed body (S. R. Ahmed and G. Ramm, SAE Paper No. 8403001, 1984) with a 25° slanted back face, is investigated using high-order large-eddy simulations (LESs) at Reynolds number Re=768000. The numerical approach is carried out with a multidomain spectral Chebyshev–Fourier solver and the bluff body is modeled with a pseudopenalization method. The LES capability is implemented thanks to a spectral vanishing viscosity (SVV) technique, with particular attention to the near wall region. Such a SVV-LES approach is extended for the first time to an industrial three-dimensional turbulent flow over a complex geometry. In order to better understand the interactions between flow separations and the dynamic behavior of the released vortex wake, a detailed analysis of the flow structures is provided. The topology of the flow is well captured showing a partial separation of the boundary layer over the slanted face and the occurrence of two strong contrarotating trailing vortices expanding farther in the wake. The interactions of these large vortices with smaller structures reminiscent of horseshoe vortices, within the shear layer over the slanted face, form large helical structures providing strong unsteady phenomena in the wake. Mean velocity fields and turbulence statistics show a global agreement with the reference experiments of Lienhart et al. (DGLR Fach Symposium der AG SRAB, Stuttgart University, 15–17 November 2000). In order to provide a deeper insight into the nature of turbulence, the flow is analyzed using power spectra and the invariant theory of turbulence of Lumley [Adv. Appl. Mech. 18, 123 (1978)].

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