<="http://honda-vtech.blogspot.com/"> A home for my car thoughts

Carbon Fiber

Car manufacturer's are ever increasingly using carbon fiber materials in both manufacturing and in creating many after market parts such as wheels, hoods, bumpers, and even brake pads. Corvette is using it now for their front fenders, front wheel houses, and floor of their new Z06. The new Maybach 57S will offer a carbon fiber interior trim option.(For looks mostly) The Porsche GT, to be discontinued this year, has offered a frame largely made up of carbon fiber for a while now. The Ford Gt will offer seat frames and a rear deck panel of carbon fiber.

What is carbon fiber? Its basically many fine strands of pure carbon fiber that is very strong and reasonably flexible.

So why use these materials? GM's Corvetts and Saturns (until recently) have long used fiberglass to make their cars light, but this material is not strong. Hence Corvetts literally disintegrate upon any substantial impact. Carbon fiber is very strong, but much more expensive. That's why it is pretty much only used on high end cars and aftermaket performance stuff. The price is the biggest reason it isn't used very widely today. But that is changing, and it is seen in the use of carbon fiber in some newer cars. With brake pads, you will pay up to 80 dollars or more for all 4 wheels(depending on your car). The big advantage to the brake pads is that they can withstand an amazing amount of heat, they last for a long time, and give off very little brake dust.

So for the average person out there, they wouldn't care less about paying extra money for a carbon fiber hood, or brake pads, or wheels. But for those of us into performance, the technology of carbon fiber is a very interesting development.

posted by Mike @ 10:02 PM