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General Motors is taking steps to make carbon fiber a major component in their future production vehicles by working with Teijin Ltd. of Japan.

Carbon fiber is a labor-intensive product, meaning it is expensive to implement in production vehicles. That expense generally restricts its use to low-production models like the Chevrolet Corvette Z06. That will all change in the future thanks to a new process that allows Teijiin to make carbon fiber products much faster than previously possible.

“Our relationship with Teijin provides the opportunity to revolutionize the way carbon fiber is used in the automotive industry,” GM Vice Chairman Steve Girsky said in a statement. “This technology holds the potential to be an industry game changer and demonstrates GM’s long-standing commitment to innovation.”

Teijin’s new technology uses thermoplastic material to allow carbon fiber parts to be molded in less than a minute instead of the traditional method, thermoset, that takes ten minutes or more per piece.

“It’s easier to handle and quicker to mold,” Jim Hentschel, GM’s executive director for body and exterior, said in an interview. “That’s what allows us to be able to introduce this technology into more mainstream, high-volume vehicles.”

Carbon fiber is stronger and ligher than aluminum and steel, making it a valuable asset for GM as it tries to increase fuel efficiency in new models.

The specifics behind the deal aren’t available yet, but neither company is exchanging equity in the process. Teijin will, however, be opening a U.S. techincal center to handle their business with GM.

[Source: Automotive News]

Porsche‘s new supercar, targeted squarely at the Ferrari 458, might be borrowing its underpinnings from the next-gen Audi R8.

The German sports car manufacturer is already well on its way to developing the part-carbon fiber car, though what they have so far borrows heavily from Audi. It’s not something Porsche is happy about, but Volkswagen, their parent company, sees sharing the underpinnings of the R8 and Lamborghini Gallardo as an easy way to save costs.

Despite corporate orders preference, Porsche may actually delay releasing its car until the 2020s in order to build it with a bespoke chassis. If they decide to adopt the R8 chassis, it would mean their new car could be on the market next to the second generation R8, versus hitting the market beside the third generation with custom underpinning.

[Source: AutoCar]

Due out in 2014, the next generation Audi R8, will feature an aluminum and carbon fiber architecture in an effort to save weight and help the automaker meet increasingly stringent fuel economy targets.

According to Michael Dick, who heads up Audi’s development arm, the reason for going with a hybrid structure is not only to save weight but also reduce cost. Lamborghini, also part of the VW empire, currently uses a  complete carbon fiber monocoque for its new flagship super car, the Aventador, yet despite the advantages of strength and light weight, the cost of utilizing carbon fiber on a large scale, remains fairly prohibitive, especially on car designed to compete in a lower price segment, like the R8.

Combining both carbon fiber and aluminum seems like a good compromise, plus using both materials in the car’s construction will likely reduce the weight of the R8′s skeleton by some 45 lbs. Weight savings are also planned for the car’s suspension, driveline and bodywork, as Audi seeks to make the next R8 the lightest sports car in the segment.

Given that the rival Porsche 911 is currently some 350 lbs lighter, the folks at Ingolstadt still have a bit of work to do, though if the rumors of a R8 NF lightweight model are to be believed, it’s likely Audi should be able to meet the challenge.

[Source: Motor Authority]

McLaren is planning to build a full model range of super car and sports cars for consumers. Currently, there are at least four more models in the design and development pipeline. The new cars include the current MP4-12C, a hypercar (codename P12), built to take on the new Lamborghini Aventador, and a successor to the famous McLaren F1. The P12 model is expected to produce around 800-hp and its weight will be similar to the MP4-12C. The British automaker will also be building a cheaper sports car (codename P13) to take on the non-turbo Porsche 911.

The full model lineup is part of a plan to sell 4,000 cars a year, with roughly 1300 MP4-12C models, 2,500 P13 cars and roughly 200 P12s.

All of the vehicles will, however, be “true McLarens,” said McLaren managing director Antony Sheriff. “Whatever we do will be based on carbon. It will have performance and handling that’s the best of its segment.”

All of the new models will receive the MP4-12C’s carbon-fiber monocell tub. This piece forms the central structure of the sports car including the front bulkhead, sills, floor, and rear bulkhead. The monocell tub is made of some 25 pieces of dry carbon fiber matting in single large tool while resin is injected.

McLaren is likely to unveil the P12 within a year and a half, and the P13 will be seen within two and a half years. The British automaker will also build a convertible version of the MP4-12C, but there is no confirmation on a release date.

GALLERY: MP4-12C

[Source: Motor Trend]

In this new 2012 Lamborghini Aventador “Quality” promo commercial, the Italian automaker takes the viewer inside the factory to show just how much thought and quality goes into designing and building the brand’s flagship super car.

The three minute in-depth video starts off by showing the designers sketches of the car, then it is transferred to the computer, then carbon fibre and aerodynamics are tested, and finally the engine is built. The different stages of design are thoroughly illustrated in the well filmed commercial. All in all, auto enthusiasts should definitely take a few minutes to check out this fantastic video.

The $379,700 supercar will replace the Murcielago and will be powered by a 700-hp 6.5-liter V12 engine. The Aventador will use a carbon fiber monocoque chasis, will come standard with an AWD system and feature a new 7-speed ISR single-clutch gearbox. The 3,500 lb sportscar will hit 62 mph in just 2.9 seconds.

Gallery: 2012 Lamborghini Aventador

Check out the video after the jump!

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The single heaviest component on a car, next to that pesky frame, is the iron-lump engine block. Even when it’s honed from aluminum, it’s still a lump—unacceptable, when almost the entire rest of the car can be crafted from svelte, slinky carbon fiber. Until now.

Florida engineer Matti Holtzberg has been working on a composite engine block for the past 40 years, and now he’s finally cracked it (figuratively, not literally). Based on a Ford 2.0-liter Duratec block, Holtzberg’s engine is made from a six-piece mold and a removable core that contains much of the oil passages. The engine takes aluminum cylinder liners to provide strength; previous attempts failed because the carbon fiber cylinder passages just couldn’t hold up.

The engine takes two hours to cure, though Holtzberg mentions that with some production changes an engine could be ready in 5 minutes. Machining effort is minimal, Holtzberg says, because of the accurate molding process. From then it is ready to take more carbon-fiber components such as manifolds, cam covers, and oil pans for special racing purposes.

All in all, the engine cuts 20 pounds from a stock aluminum Duratec engine. But the weight savings won’t be cheap—Car and Driver cites a price of $2500 per pound of weight, which could mean $50,000. Hey, nobody said progress came cheap. But anything to cut the weight of our Modern Safety Vehicles is fighting the good fight. Now you’re thinking with carbon fiber!

[Source: Car and Driver]

The Geneva Motor Show is shaping up to be one hell of a car show. And now adding to the already impressive list of debuts is Koenigsegg’s Agera R, featuring a 5.0L twin-turbo V8 that puts out an astonishing 1,115-hp with 885 ft-lbs of torque. That’s four digits fellas, but there is a catch – that’s on E85. Assuming that if you could afford the Agera R, buying E85 by the gallon won’t be an issue, but if you’re in a bind and stuck with 95 octane, the Agera R still pushes out 940-hp with 811 ft-lbs of torque.

Mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox, the Agera R features a carbon fiber monocoque chassis that is so rigid, a roof is optional. And the owner that commissioned this particular Agera R to be built, he opted to replace the roof with a custom carbon fiber ski box designed in conjunction with Thule. The professional skier will be able to swap out the roof at anytime, storing the other away in the cargo compartment. (We’re just waiting for the day this Agera R shows up at a public ski resort).

Worth highlighting as well is Koenigsegg’s use of Vortex Generating Rim (VGR) wheels that apparently have spokes acting as turbine vanes, helping maximize downforce. Sounds a little over-the-top fancy for us, but when you’re carrying 1,115-hp, you’re allowed to have whatever you want.

GALLERY: Koenigsegg Agera R

BMW is looking for an alternative to traditional purchasing options for their upcoming MegaCity urban vehicle, as the high cost of developing substantially new technology may result in the vehicle becoming prohibitively expensive for consumers. Among the projects being considered are a car-sharing service similar to the one operated by Daimler for their Smart car EVs. “More and more people in large cities are looking for an alternative to the ownership of a vehicle,” said Ian Robertson, BMW’s sales chief, in an interview with Automotive News.

The Megacity represents a radical shift from the traditional automobile by using a full electric drivetrain combined with a passenger cell constructed entirely from carbon fiber. The vehicle’s construction is said to be different from a traditional unibody, and doesn’t require things like paint  or conventional crash protection methods. Naturally, the cost of the new technology will be astronomical, and the 6-year engineering time needed for the car will seem paltry compared to the challenge of selling and marketing such a car.

[Source: Automotive News]

While prototype units of the Lexus LF-A have been in production for over a year, the first units destined for retail customers began rolling off the line at the company’s facility in Toyota City, Japan.

With 15,000 parts assembled largely by hand, an LF-A requires 170 people to be produced. Every step of the assembly process is logged, with a 3,500 page journal assigned to each car at the end of the assembly process. Of that, roughly 300 pages are dedicated to the manufacturing process. The journal is kept for posterity and will be used for reference should the car’s owner make an inquiry. Every step of purchasing an LF-A, from the build process to the ownership experience is sure to be superlative – just like it’s $375,000 price tag. We’d settle for an hour behind the wheel.

[Source: Motor Authority]

Fenice Milano’s Fiat 500 La Dolce Vita wasn’t exactly our cup of tea, but it looks like their rendition of Ferrari‘s 458 Italia might be more acceptable. Despite a horrible rendering released by the company, the tuner looks to be on the right track with this tuning package.

Based on our source, there is supposedly a performance increase from the vehicle, but the numbers released by Fenice Milano simply look like the stock figures of 400 ft-lbs of torque and 560-hp. The aerodynamics of the car are tweaked though along with a lightened body thanks to carbon fiber replacements on the roof, front and rear fenders, mirrors and spoiler.

Fenice Milano is also offering an entirely new aluminum frame for the 458 Italia which is paired with suspension tweaks. Outfitting each corner is a set of staggered 20-inch three-piece wheels wrapped with 235/35 rubber in the front and 325/25 rubber in the rear. The only performance modification they state in the release is a new exhaust system which we imagine is good for a few horses.

No pricing or availability was released.

[Source: GT Spirit]