Will the 2017 Supra use carbon fiber?

[Mr. M]

This video talking about the BMW i3 carbon fiber body shell has an engineer saying how because the carbon fiber weave is multidirectional, any impact from any direction will be absorbed better and provide more safety.

Like you guys i want a full carbon fiber shell because of the weight advantages but never thought that it would actually make me safer too. Win-win! Now please give us that full cf shell

video - http://www.forbes.com/video/3958851958001/

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[Rod.S]

Carbon fiber is great for absorbing and diffusing impact force. The downside is that in diffusing the energy it will just shatter.

 

[Craigy]

Carbon fiber will break into very sharp carbon shards when impacted, which is one reason for Pagani's carbon-titanium weave which is supposed to be more malleable.

A friend of mine nearly lost his leg in an accident where the carbon debris cut through his fibula.

 

[EMTer]

I've yet to see this type of injury on the job and I hope that I won't start to now that more carbon fiber is being used to surround the passenger cabin.

As an enthusiast I'm all for it and it sounds like it might help reduce blunt force trauma in higher speed accidents.

Carbon fiber will break into very sharp carbon shards when impacted, which is one reason for Pagani's carbon-titanium weave which is supposed to be more malleable.

A friend of mine nearly lost his leg in an accident where the carbon debris cut through his fibula.

 

[Craigy]

Yeah you probably won't for some time since there's just so few cars on the road featuring CF in any significant quantity (with more than just a hood, wing, trim). Also I would imagine there will be more improvements as time goes by and it becomes more mainstream... I guess time will tell.

 

[FT1freddy]

Carbon fiber will break into very sharp carbon shards when impacted, which is one reason for Pagani's carbon-titanium weave which is supposed to be more malleable.

Exciting to see innovations in the area of materials and construction. Seems there hasn't really been much innovation in this area until recent years. Its revolved around streel+aluminum for as long as I remember. Everyone's been chasing Hp instead I guess. Next 5-10 years is going to see some seismic chsnges in auto industry I think with alternative power sources (hybrids) + lightweight construction.

 

[From a Dig]

If the shell is CF I hope they leave some of it exposed in the interior like the Alfa 4C.

Its functional but also pretty

 

[Craigy]

Nice. The 4C really looks great... I'd love to see one in person.

 

[sunFire]

I just read even the GT350R will have carbon ceramic brakes and carbon fiber wheels. Toyota better BRING IT with the Supra. Competition aint messing around and we have maybe two more years to wait, meaning even better cars on the horizon.

 

[Craigy]

I just read even the GT350R will have carbon ceramic brakes and carbon fiber wheels. Toyota better BRING IT with the Supra. Competition aint messing around and we have maybe two more years to wait, meaning even better cars on the horizon.

I wonder what those options will cost.... BMW's carbon ceramics are $8k. CF wheels are in the neighborhood of ten grand a set, or better.

I would love to see carbon ceramics on Supra, at least as an option, although it might be cost prohibitive. I would imagine that Toyota could offer it for $4k-$5k.

 

[gymratter]

CF is stronger than steel no? that would make me assume its safer.

 

[Craigy]

CF is stronger than steel no? that would make me assume its safer.

Steel crumples upon impact, while carbon shatters. It is much more rigid but less pliable. The debris is very sharp and can cut tires, bodywork, human tissue, etc.

An engineer or physicist would be able to explain better

 

[divinesteer]

This is from a while ago but i would think it still applies:

"Pricey yes, but should you pull an Erikson and smash into something at 200mph, at least you’re safer with carbon fiber than steel, right? Er, no. Top Gear fans will recall that The Stig crashed an 800hp+ Koenigsegg CCX’s carbon fiber nose into some old tires. As Jezza noted, the Koenigsegg’s front was shattered, like glass. Translation: carbon fiber withstands one [massive] impact and… that’s it. If Mr. Erikson’s Enzo had struck another solid object after shearing in two on a telephone poll, he couldn’t have blamed the crash on Detrich, or anyone else."

http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2006/06/carbon-fiber-so-good-it-hurts/

You can see the crash at the end:

 

[Hans]

Translation: carbon fiber withstands one [massive] impact and… that’s it. If Mr. Erikson’s Enzo had struck another solid object after shearing in two on a telephone poll, he couldn’t have blamed the crash on Detrich, or anyone else."

Never thought of that damn that's scary. Say you hit the back of someone's car at high speed and then a few seconds later a car hits you at high speed from behind. The front will have taken two impacts, the second one after the CF is already damaged and useless.

 

[Levi]

It is not the general material that counts, but the quality of this material and before all the engineering.

Cheep steel won't get you anywhere either.

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