Lighter, faster, stronger, and more durable are just a few ways to describe composite materials that are used in sports car design.

The use of these materials in sports cars has translated to using them in other vehicles as well. The industry is constantly transforming and adjusting materials used in vehicle designs to make them lighter and stronger. Materials, such as high-strength steel and aluminum, have been used in pickup trucks to make them lighter, allowing the trucks to maintain durability levels while making better use of the available power.

Here are some ways and benefits of using carbon fiber and other composite materials in sports car designs.

What are some of the advantages?

Combinations of various materials create the composites that are used in the automotive industry. Carbon fiber can be used as a composite, making it stronger and more durable. Here are some of the advantages of using these materials:

Improved strength and rigidity

When the automotive industry combines materials to make them better, they are typically stronger and more rigid than before. These improved materials provide the added sturdiness required for safety and structural soundness without adding extra weight. In fact, many vehicles have grown larger but lighter in recent years thanks to the use of composite materials.

Weight reduction

Sports cars are often made with fewer comfort and convenience items than other vehicles in an effort to save weight. Lighter materials allow sports cars to be faster than those that are heavier. When it comes to developing cars made to tear up the track, weight savings is an important part of the process, which means using lighter materials is an important factor.

Form creation

The use of composites in building cars allows the parts to be molded into complex shapes and designs using these materials. This is a huge advantage in automotive development and design. The sleek curves and complex shapes can only be created using the right materials; thankfully, that means using advanced composites in vehicle design.

Cost efficiency

Most composite materials are more expensive than steel or other non-composite materials. Carbon fiber is especially expensive compared to other items, but using composites allows vehicles to be lighter and more durable compared to using other materials. In some vehicles, lighter materials translates to improved fuel savings, offsetting the initial higher cost of the blended materials.

Where can you find composite materials in sports cars?

Automotive manufacturing can’t be completely done with composites, but much of the vehicle can be built using these blended materials. Some areas where you’ll likely see these materials used are:

Body panels

Creating body panels using carbon fiber and other lightweight materials significantly reduces the weight of a vehicle. These materials make these panels rigid and aerodynamic, ensuring the vehicle is more stable and can drive faster. Some high-end luxury sports cars have body panels made of carbon fiber.

Chassis

Carbon fiber is an excellent, lightweight material for the chassis and other structural components. This material increases the structural rigidity while reducing the overall vehicle weight.

Interior items

High-end sports cars are often made with carbon fiber interior materials to give you a classy look and sporty feeling. This, and other composite materials can be used throughout the interior for items including the dashboard, seat frames, and other items that can be made lighter and stronger.

Wheels

Using carbon fiber for the wheels was the true test of this material to determine if it could hold up to the most challenging part of any vehicle. Composite wheels are much lighter than traditional models but are stronger and allow the vehicle to perform well at high speeds.

Driveshafts

Creating driveshafts out of composite materials allows this part to be stronger and improves torque transfer to the wheels, improving the performance and efficiency of any vehicle. This is especially true when the driveshaft is made of carbon fiber.

Why use carbon fiber?

Vehicle design and development are significantly improved when components are made of carbon fiber. These items have an exceptional strength-to-weight ratio, offering significant improvements over the use of traditional materials like steel and aluminum. This material is more expensive than most but has been tested repeatedly in high-end sports cars and continually proven useful in these applications. This has led to its increased adoption in the automotive industry.

If you buy a new sports car, there’s a good chance many of the parts are made of composite materials. Some parts could be made of carbon fiber, which is at the top of the list in terms of composites made to reduce weight, improve strength, and increase performance.