BMW teams up with Boeing for carbon fiber tech
BMW’s intention with updated production materials for the cars they’ll be making in the future have been made well and truly clear.
The Bavarian giant is very interested in carbon fiber as the next big thing for production cars. While it was demonstrated for high end supercars and such, there are a few hurdles left.
E92 BMW M3 with carbon fiber accessories
Hopefully, the new partnership BMW worked over with famous airplane manufacturer Boeing, will make a difference towards that development.
The only somewhat mainstream manufacturer to have a similar collaboration with the aircraft industry giants for carbon fiber is Lamborghini.
Apart from being members of a rival group, the Raging Bull will obviously never specialize in making “Average Joe” vehicles.
E92 BMW M3 with carbon fiber accessories
Either way, there have been plenty of ideas swapped into the automotive industry from the airplane engineers. Occasionally some ideas did go back.
So maybe a couple of generations down the line the BMW M3 will come with a carbon fiber shell, to say the least, does that mean a new Boeing will be better to drive?
Unfortunately, we can’t tell. What we will be able to tell is what happens when future BMW models will lose considerable amounts of weight thanks to carbon fiber.
E92 BMW M3 with carbon fiber accessories
Compared to currently used lightweight panels made out of aluminium, up to 30% of the weight will be shaken off by the carbon fiber.
That’s always a welcomed bit of news as everything is better with less weight. One small niggle though, Rolls Royce should never make a car using this material.
