As you are aware, BMW invested not just a lot of time in the small electric car, the i3, but also huge amounts.

This money went into developing new technologies, as this is the first EV to come from the Bavarians, and the most important piece of tech seems to be the CFRP.

The CFRP (carbon fiber reinforced plastic) was used extensively on the i3, and even its bigger brother, the i8, and its success was quite resounding. The materials performed so well, that the car maker decided to use it in all of its cars. And while any Bimmer car benefit from the new material, BMW didn’t stop there.

Recent reports state that the CFRP will also be an important part in the 2017 Rolls-Royce Phantom. On pretty much any other cars, i’d say that would be a great move, but considering the fact that the Phantom feels right weighing two tons, I remain unconvinced. And if that sounds a tad iffy, Rolls-Royce also stated they will be upgrading the looks to a less formal variant.

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Marcus M.

http://www.bmwcoop.com

The post The Rolls-Royce Phantom will be using BMW i3 technology appeared first on BMWCoop | BMW Blog, BMW News, BMW Reviews.

CFRP (carbon fiber reinforced plastic) is, by some, an amazing product and by others, a big gamble that BMW just happened to win.

Either way, it is well known that the material was developed for use in the i models, as a cheaper version of the regular carbon fiber, with a huge investment from the German car maker.

The success of both the i models and the material itself spurred BMW on to further invest into it. The latest manages to reach $200 million, all of which will be used to expand the Moses Lake plant in charge of producing CFRP. The new wing is expected to be done by 2015, and once it will be operational, it will make the plant the largest carbon fiber producing unit in the world.

Right now, the plant is good for about 3000 tons of CFRP each year, with plans to increase it to 6000 tons by the end of 2014. The new wing will bring an additional 3000 tons a year, raising the total to 9000 tons. 120 workers will be needed for the new wing, and with such impressive quantities of CFRP projected, most BMW models are expected to wear in one form or another.

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Marcus M.

http://www.bmwcoop.com

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The BMW i3 electric city car was not just an EV from BMW, but an innovation for the whole automotive industry.

Or, at least, that is what the German car maker kept saying ever since they announced it last year and, for the most part, they were spot on.

One of the many innovations, and a pretty important one at that, is the CFRP (carbon fiber reinforced plastic), which they developed, becoming a cheap way to widely use carbon fiber in a car. As such, the whole of the BMW i3 passenger cabin is built from the material.

In fact, the CFRP was such a success, it became an important material for pretty much every other BMW model that followed. Some might suggest the CFRP was a gamble for BMW, as the initial research and development took a big chunk of BMW’s capital, but I believe it turned out well for the manufacturer.

Now, with the BMW i3 already on the market, and already a big success, BMW decided to share with us a bit of the inside procedure that turns a single strand of carbon fiber into the full hull of the i3. Enjoy the video below.

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Marcus M.

http://www.bmwcoop.com

The post How carbon fiber is used on a BMW i3 appeared first on BMWCoop | BMW Blog, BMW News, BMW Reviews.

I wrote some time ago about the collaboration that the BMW has closed-up with the SGL Group, the company responsible with the carbon fiber delivery for the German cars.

As a result, the two firms are expanding the site in Germany in order to handle the high demands for the carbon fiber parts, which the BMW is planning to use for future production of its newer models.

The reason the carbon fiber is so wanted is that is lighter up to 30 percent than aluminum and up to around 50 percent than steel. Other than that, it is strong enough and can “boost rigidity and improve weight balance,” to state Motorauthority.com.

The main disadvantage of the carbon fiber is that it takes longer to produce, but special bonding processes are being developed along with a greater autonomy.

As we already know, carbon fiber reinforced plastic or simply CFRP, is usually used for roof panels and bumper supports, but the German luxury car is thinking out of the box for its future products.

They want to use the carbon fiber for the manufacturing of the next generation of the MINI brand as well as for the future models of the Rolls-Royce.

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Marcus M.

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The post BMW to Expand Carbon Fiber Usage on Future Production appeared first on BMWCoop | BMW Blog, BMW News, BMW Reviews.

Since the Lexus RC-F Coupe is the BMW M4`s strongest rival this year, I have decided to put both cars on a short performance test to see if the competition might be so tough.

Let`s have a look under the hood of both cars and see the power inside.

BMW M4 comes with a bi-turbo inline six-cylinder engine, developing a pretty good 425 horsepower and 406 lb-ft.

On the other side, Lexus RC-F Coupe counter-attacks with a higher power 5-liter V8, with 480 horsepower and 7300 rpm. The torque of the car will be announced at the Detroit Auto Show. The RC-F Coupe will come with an 8 speed-sport direct shift transmission.

The M4 sports a standard six-speed transmission connected to a carbon-fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) driveshaft and a mechanical limited-slip differential.

Inside, the M4 has fine touches, sills on the footrest and the doors, with circular instruments and color-contrast stitching.

On the other hand, the Lexus RC-F Coupe resembles the present 2014 IS, but with extra features like performance bucket front seats, reconfigurable gauge cluster and smaller steering-wheel.

What do you think guys? Which one is best fit for you?

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Marcus M.

http://www.bmwcoop.com

The post BMW M4 or Lexus RC-F Coupe appeared first on BMWCoop | BMW Blog, BMW News, BMW Reviews.

Thanks to BMW TV Series, we can all have a closer look at the BMW i8 totally detailed. Thus, we can know more about its carbon fiber.

The BMW i8 is considered to be a “progressive sports car”, fully equipped with high-tech systems, in a combination of “Ultimate Driving Dynamics” with power and performance under the hood.

When we say advance technology and systems, we are referring not only to electronics, but also to the carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP) knowledge and futuristic design.

The futuristic design is beautifully shaped through the i8`s butterfly-style doors, made from CFRP and aluminum reinforced.

The BMW i8, through its CFRP, sets the paces for high-tech plug-in hybrid market, in terms of low weigh.

It is operated only by electric motor alone, with zero emissions and extraordinary performance, being able to reach 0 to 60 mph under 4.5 seconds.

With the i8 in front of us, we all know that the BMW manufacturer has kept its promises of delivering “The Ultimate Driving Machine” in a new era of mold-breaking shape, with dynamic sports car performance, emotive design and fuel efficiency.

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Marcus M.

http://www.bmwcoop.com

The post BMW i8 in Carbon Fiber Finally Detailed appeared first on BMWCoop | BMW Blog, BMW News, BMW Reviews.

Not exactly least revealing article title ever but there you have it, if you’ve got an M3 and want to make it more aerodynamic and lighter, BMW Performance have got just what you need.

The component offering is related to a couple of things, both are related to pricing and exclusivity.

With that in mind, if you haven’t managed to get your hands on a BMW Frozen Gray M3 Coupe or perhaps the 2011 BMW M3 Competition Package is a bit rich for your blood, don’t despair as you can now buy a few bits for your M3 that will make it just as cool.

In fact, the best part of it is the price appeal as you don’t have to get it all at once.

The list includes the three new parts, a new rear deck lid spoiler, mirror caps and front splitters. All of the aforementioned are constructed of ultra-rigid carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) composite material. All the parts will also match the standard CFRP roof panel of the M3 Coupe.

Keep in mind that BMW Performance accessories feature a two year and unlimited mileage warranty but if you have them fitted before taking delivery of your new M3, the BMW Performance accessories will share coverage of the 4 year or 50,000-mile New Vehicle Limited Warranty.

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Marcus M.

http://www.bmwcoop.com

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