A weather and corrosion-resistant reflector with high overall reflection
in the visible and infrared wavelength ranges. The reflector contains a
reflector body with a reflection surface of an aluminum or aluminum alloy
or a reflector body with a reflection coating of an aluminum or aluminum
alloy. The reflector also contains an outer, final transparent protective
layer of a sol-gel coating which is thicker than 1 .mu.m. The transparent
sol-gel coating is a polymer of cross-linked inorganic siloxanes with
alcohol groups that are bonded to the silicon with a carbon bond. The
sol-gel coating is produced in a sol-gel process and, after having been
applied to the reflector body, is dried and hardened using heat. The
protective layer has excellent resistance to weather, corrosion and
abrasion.