# Aerodynamic "dimple" design - why not more prevalent? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 6, 2026, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aerodynamic-dimple-design-why-not-more-prevalent/1034553 "2026-11-06T16:03:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Al128](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/al128/32/16541_2.png) [@Al128](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Al128)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2026, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aerodynamic-dimple-design-why-not-more-prevalent/1034553/22 "2026-11-09T13:45:43Z")
so, it turns out that research has been done on that topic (AI nudeged me towards it): [https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0167610522003129?utm\_source=chatgpt.com](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0167610522003129?utm_source=chatgpt.com) [snip of the abstract] Dimple patterns extruded outward from the vehicle skin are considered in this study with the aim of reducing flow separation and thus lowering drag. They are applied to the realistic and already optimized [notchback](https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/engineering/notchback) DrivAer vehicle model. Delayed detached-eddy simulations validated by experiments are used to assess the potential of this concept. In order to see the dependence of the concept on essential parameters, the location, size as well as height of the dimple pattern are varied in this study. All applied patterns on the rear window of the DrivAer model **reduce drag and lift by up to 1.9% and 19.2%, respectively, compared to the [reference geometry]**([https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/engineering/reference-geometry](https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/engineering/reference-geometry)) without dimple pattern. [boding mine] it seems that drag can be reduced by 2% but lift by nearly 19% … I assume that lift is very relevant for a sportscar (having to run huge spoilers to create downforce to counter lift) … ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2026, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aerodynamic-dimple-design-why-not-more-prevalent/1034553/23 "2026-11-09T13:57:52Z")
Great work! Yeah, killing lift in a drag-efficient manner is a huge goal of seriously fast car design. Offset somewhat by the style expectations that wings and swoops and such are just how fast cars “_should_” look in the buyers’ minds. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2026, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aerodynamic-dimple-design-why-not-more-prevalent/1034553/24 "2026-11-09T14:50:11Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > Offset somewhat by the style expectations that wings and swoops and such are just how fast cars “_should_” look in the buyers’ minds. - It’s amazing that someone can have that much money and still be a complete idiot. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2026, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aerodynamic-dimple-design-why-not-more-prevalent/1034553/25 "2026-11-09T14:56:06Z")
Not sure how you arrive at the idea that having a desire for a fast or stylish car makes one a “complete idiot”. Form follows function to some degree in all things from cars to clothing to hair, but style by definition also has a large arbitrary and socially-determined component. IOW: “We have met style and they is us.” ---
**Author:** ![pjd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pjd/32/3009_2.png) [@pjd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pjd)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2026, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aerodynamic-dimple-design-why-not-more-prevalent/1034553/26 "2026-11-09T15:41:11Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > Not sure how you arrive at the idea that having a desire for a fast or stylish car makes one a “complete idiot”. I suspect it’s the fact that the person with the money for a fast/stylish car thinks it should have the wings and swoops to be fast/stylish that makes them a “complete idiot”, not just the having a desire for a fast or stylish car. ---
**Author:** ![Al128](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/al128/32/16541_2.png) [@Al128](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Al128)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2026, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aerodynamic-dimple-design-why-not-more-prevalent/1034553/27 "2026-11-09T15:59:27Z")
> [@Al128](#): > > so, it turns out that research has been done on that topic (AI nudeged me towards it): > > [https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0167610522003129?utm\_source=chatgpt.com](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0167610522003129?utm_source=chatgpt.com) > > [snip of the abstract] > **Dimple patterns extruded outward from the vehicle skin** are considered in this study with the aim of reducing flow separation and thus lowering drag. They are applied to the realistic and already optimized [notchback](https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/engineering/notchback) DrivAer vehicle model. Delayed detached-eddy simulations validated by experiments are used to assess the potential of this concept. In order to see the dependence of the concept on essential parameters, the location, size as well as height of the dimple pattern are varied in this study. All applied patterns on the rear window of the DrivAer model reduce drag and lift by up to 1.9% and 19.2%, respectively, compared to the [reference geometry]\*\* quoting again, due to a not-so-minor head-scratch … I am not a native speaker, but I read that bolted part as “convex” dimples, as opposed to the talked about “concave” ones … (anybody confirm this?) Surprises me a bit … (that it did work) … and kinda pulls the rug out of our debate … b/c I strongly assume that a convex shape is VERY different from concave one in this application … The only reason I can come up with for this design: It is way easier to glue/magnetically slide on dimples than to hammer concave shapes into a car-body … ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2026, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aerodynamic-dimple-design-why-not-more-prevalent/1034553/28 "2026-11-10T17:08:44Z")
Another is that convex dimples won’t fill with water, nor ice. Cars need to work outdoors, in weather. ---
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2026, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aerodynamic-dimple-design-why-not-more-prevalent/1034553/29 "2026-11-10T18:48:54Z")
Probably not too significant at likely dimple depths though. Vehicles already have various bits where snow or ice might settle, and it’s already a hazard that, say, a whole bunch of snow might slough off the top of a truck (yes, they should be responsible for never driving with such an accumulation, but we can just say the same for a dimple car owner). ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2026, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aerodynamic-dimple-design-why-not-more-prevalent/1034553/30 "2026-11-10T19:24:35Z")
The strangest things suddenly get stylishly “attractive” in the name of performance. For example, having a clear coat over the carbon-fiber weave to show it off instead of painting it. To my eye, you just end up with silly looking discordant surfaces all over, but there are lots of folks that think it’s cool. Your steering wheel has a carbon-fiber weave showing? Yay, I guess? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2026, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aerodynamic-dimple-design-why-not-more-prevalent/1034553/31 "2026-11-10T22:22:08Z")
> [@Mijin](#): > > At first blush I thought it would be ugly, but then in my mind’s eye I saw an orange supercar with some dimpled surfaces, and it seemed pretty cool. And heck, it’s apparently quite a challenge at the moment to make a supercar that stands out. That thing looks almost reptilian. Which, yeah, is kind of cool. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aerodynamic-dimple-design-why-not-more-prevalent/1034553.md?page=1)