Radar Reflexivity?

[marc1adrien]

Came across an interesting couple of threads and videos on the C4 Corvette, and how it was in part designed to not reflect radar. Seems like this is a mix of composite body and angling of large flat metal things like radiators. Got me to wondering about the Emira, which also is composite and has at least one of its radiators angled.

Does anyone know whether it also has less radar reflectivity?

 

[Tomwa]

I'm not sure that it's an intentional choice that it doesn't reflect Radar, so much as a side effect. Regardless, I'm pretty sure the windshield is large and flat enough.

You can test this pretty easily. Have any of those school zone speed limit signs near you, where the sign tells you your approx speed and tells you to 'slow down' if in excess of the posted limit?

If that reads the Emira and will give you a reading then a police gun will work. (In my experience those signs do indeed read the Emira just fine)

 

[marc1adrien]

I'm not sure that it's an intentional choice that it doesn't reflect Radar, so much as a side effect. Regardless, I'm pretty sure the windshield is large and flat enough.

You can test this pretty easily. Have any of those school zone speed limit signs near you, where the sign tells you your approx speed and tells you to 'slow down' if in excess of the posted limit?

If that reads the Emira and will give you a reading then a police gun will work. (In my experience those signs do indeed read the Emira just fine)

Not looking to misbehave on public roads at all. I just found it interesting that some sources (including a corvette historian in a book apparently) claimed it was a design feature of the car. As an aviation fan I find the whole stealth technology / radar cross signal thing fascinating and I’m just curious.

 

[Six Speed Stephen]

I can promise you on multiple fronts our cars do not divert radar, laser, etc

 

[Jinba ittai]

Corvette or one of these?

 

[Eagle7]

We have those "Your Speed Is" signs where we live, and they do pick up the Emira, but I noticed they don't do it as quickly as it does in our SUV. I would say it takes maybe 2-3 car lengths closer before it picks up the Emira.

 

[Tomwa]

That could just be a "height" thing though. Regardless. Guy from Chevy claiming the car (which Corvette exactly? Almost all of them are fibeglass composite with a tilted radiator which isn't visible from the front. Soo...we are saying all the way back to the C3? C4? Just the most recent angular mess of the C8?

Regardless... whatever guy made that claim, he's blowing smoke. There's no way the aesthetics department knows how to make an attractive (well.. the c8 isn't particularly...so there's that) car that has some sort of extremely small radar cross section. They don't have that expertise.

Then you'd still be faced with the limitations of what can be manufactured at cost. What compromises the designers would have to make with the cooling, safety, structural, all of these other aspects of the vehicle. Just seems like a 'story' to add to the pastiche and mystery of the car.