This gets me excited for the future.

Kinja'd!!! "Yossarian" (ajmobile)
05/07/2014 at 17:44 • Filed to: None

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I can't wait for carbon fiber to become more mainstream. Imagine a BMW M3 with a full carbon fiber tub. Or a future BRZ with carbon fiber parts from the factory.

The future is exciting and I can't wait.


DISCUSSION (8)


Kinja'd!!! Manuél Ferrari > Yossarian
05/07/2014 at 17:47

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Using less steel and more aluminum would be a good thing for BMW to do in the meantime ;D


Kinja'd!!! Yossarian > Manuél Ferrari
05/07/2014 at 17:54

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Well they are for the M cars. The M3/4 has aluminum fenders and hood with a carbon fiber roof and trunk. And a lot of aluminum suspension pieces.


Kinja'd!!! Manuél Ferrari > Yossarian
05/07/2014 at 18:01

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That's good. I hope the new M3/M4 uses as little steel as possible.

My E90 M3 uses enough steel to build a skyscraper with.


Kinja'd!!! f86sabre > Yossarian
05/07/2014 at 18:04

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carbon is pretty amazing, but there are some issues that will be interesting to see how the figure out. In aviation we are struggling with the fact that carbon structures hide damage. You can hit them hard enough to disbond from backing structures and you can't see it from the outside. Also, repairing load bearing structure requires specialized techniques, expensive equipment and access to proprietary materials that will likely be very expensive. Lastly, there are not good ways to recycle carbon structures right now.

No Trying to be a downer, but there are some issues that need to be addressed.


Kinja'd!!! Hermann > f86sabre
05/07/2014 at 18:31

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Yeah, of course it still needs study. But seeing a big brand trying to put it in a mass produced car already is pretty awesome. And might help convince funding for further research.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but as far as I know 30 years ago brands rarely used Aluminium (in cars that weren't high perfomance and sports cars), not only because of cost, but because they also had problems to address before it hit mainstream cars. Hopefully we'll see carbon follow the same route.


Kinja'd!!! BaconSandwich is tasty. > f86sabre
05/07/2014 at 23:26

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Now there's an interesting idea - shred up the waste carbon fiber and add it as filler to asphalt.


Kinja'd!!! f86sabre > BaconSandwich is tasty.
05/08/2014 at 06:06

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Carbon fiber chips are very, very sharp. Also, some of the most painful slivers I have ever gotten came from carbon fiber.


Kinja'd!!! BaconSandwich is tasty. > f86sabre
05/08/2014 at 10:22

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Good point. I can't imagine getting road rash on a bunch of carbon fiber chips...