A Car with... Skin?

[SoulOfTheFlame]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kTYiEkQYhWY

[arsenal]

Very interesting concept. Unless the actual structure of the car can pass all the crash tests, this wont ever be in production.

[IgnitedSoul]

Am I the only one who when watching that, imagined a screaming face slowly rising out of it? Too much CSI, maybe?

[RougeUnderoos]

Originally Posted by arsenal

Very interesting concept. Unless the actual structure of the car can pass all the crash tests, this wont ever be in production.

Yeah, but that's true about every car.

How much protection does that 1/16th bit of sheet metal (or plastic) on a regular car actually offer? Does it play a role in protecting the passenger compartment? I really don't know, but it doesn't seem like it would help much.

That being said, this is a pretty far-out concept and it must be a long way off if it is ever produced. Some of the literature says that the material is designed to withstand temperature extremes but I don't see this fabric living happily through a Calgary winter with salt, freezingnessity, wet, brown snow and all that.

Mission:Accomplished for BMW though. This car (and their logo) is all over the internet.

[NSFL]

Originally Posted by IgnitedSoul

Am I the only one who when watching that, imagined a screaming face slowly rising out of it? Too much CSI, maybe?

No, I was totally thinking that. Just waiting for something to come out.

[dissentowner]

What a fugly car!!!

[arsenal]

Originally Posted by RougeUnderoos

Yeah, but that's true about every car.

How much protection does that 1/16th bit of sheet metal (or plastic) on a regular car actually offer? Does it play a role in protecting the passenger compartment? I really don't know, but it doesn't seem like it would help much.

That being said, this is a pretty far-out concept and it must be a long way off if it is ever produced. Some of the literature says that the material is designed to withstand temperature extremes but I don't see this fabric living happily through a Calgary winter with salt, freezingnessity, wet, brown snow and all that.

Mission:Accomplished for BMW though. This car (and their logo) is all over the internet.

Well, the outside of the car does not offer a whole lot of protection itself.
But that with the frame, do provide a substantial amount.

ie: A regular hood, would provide more structural protection than say a CF hood made for weight reduction. Would it not?

[The Fonz]

The car gets a boner at 1:20