# Dimpled Dodge Darts

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dimpled-dodge-darts/92745>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [November 11, 2001, 8:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dimpled-dodge-darts/92745 "2001-11-11T08:01:22Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Beakeroni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4af34b/32.png) [@Beakeroni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beakeroni)\
**Post date:** [November 11, 2001, 8:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dimpled-dodge-darts/92745/1 "2001-11-11T08:01:22Z")

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Why don’t automobiles have sheet-metal dimples?

Golf balls have them in order to cut down on wind resistance–less surface area, flys farther. Wouldn’t this be a good idea for cars, too? Save on gas, etc?

I’ve been wondering about this for a while, now. I realize that a slick, shiny surface might be more appealing to buyers of cars, but wouldn’t a dimpled surface be more aerodynamic? What would happen if the surface were coated with Teflon? (Yeah, I know that Teflon wouldn’t want to stick very well to the sheet-metal, but humor me here…)

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**Author:** ![Flymaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c4cdca/32.png) [@Flymaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flymaster)\
**Post date:** [November 11, 2001, 8:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dimpled-dodge-darts/92745/2 "2001-11-11T08:30:02Z")

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So you want your car to have speed holes? I’m sorry…this was just to Simpsonesque to pass up.

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**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\
**Post date:** [November 11, 2001, 8:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dimpled-dodge-darts/92745/3 "2001-11-11T08:45:26Z")

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My understanding is that it’s just the rear of the object that benefits from a turbulent airflow. Balls are symmetric so they are dimpled all over. Many cars are equipped with spoilers that are supposed to do the same thing - i.e. “spoil” the clean flow of air.

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**Author:** ![Chas.E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e99b99/32.png) [@Chas.E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chas.E)\
**Post date:** [November 11, 2001, 10:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dimpled-dodge-darts/92745/4 "2001-11-11T10:50:32Z")

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Modern cars use unibody construction and dimples or sharp bends in the metal would weaken the structure.

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**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\
**Post date:** [November 11, 2001, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dimpled-dodge-darts/92745/5 "2001-11-11T12:30:55Z")

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Golf ball dimples work because of the ball’s rotation: as the ball spins (backwards, because of the striking angle)the dimples on the bottom “grab” the air, creating a pressure differntial - the ball rises because the air pressure above it is lower. It increases “hang time” in the air.

You’d be hard pressed to design a car or a plane that could use this effect.