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Filed under: Green , Japan , Tech On the surface, carbon fiber sounds like a wonder-product which can replace much of the heavy metal, especially steel, that makes up the vast majority of nearly every automobile's structure. Dig a bit deeper, however, and there are a few flies in CF's ointment that make it very difficult to use in vehicles: price, supply and the time it takes to mold a the weaved material. Japan's big three carbon fiber producers are tackling each of these issues in a number of ways. First, the price of CF is expected to become more competitive as both carbon cloth goes down and rolled sheet steel goes up. What's more, as additional CF producing plants come online in the coming years, both the price and availability should improve. Third, new molding processes are being developed which could reduce the time it takes to produce a CF part from hours to minutes. Carbon fiber is expected to ease the transition to more fuel efficient vehicles as it weights a...
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Filed under: Euro , Government/Legal , Green , Porsche , UK It's the mayor of London in one corner and Porsche, the maker of thoroughbred sports cars, in the other. In the green trunks, Mayor Ken Livingstone has decreed that a $50 daily tax shall be levied against all gas-guzzling, emission-spewing vehicles that drive through his city beginning in October. His logic says that it will fight global warming, and the money raised will help implement a Paris-style bicycle plan for the city. Re-election is around the corner, so this initiative is imperative to his tenure. In the black trunks, Andy Goss, the Managing Director of Porsche Cars GB, rejects the tax as unjust. The automaker claims it is a disproportionate fee that will have a very limited effect on CO2 emissions. Its plan is to write Livingstone a letter requesting that he reconsider the proposal, and if nothing happens after 14 days, take the matter to the courts, which could throw out Livingstone's tax altogether. And the...
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Filed under: Aftermarket , Convertibles , Supercars , Lamborghini Click on the image above to view in high-resolution How do you top a car like the Lamborghini Murcielago Roadster? It's simply one of the most desirable supercars on the market. But while the terms "practicality" and "Lamborghini" don't belong anywhere in the same sentence, the topless Raging Bull's roof is something best considered only for emergencies - just when the contraption's complicated installment procedures prove most frustrating (or so we hear). Coming to the rescue are the American coachbuilders at Genaddi, who've designed a special roof for the special supercar. If the name rings any bells, Genaddi is responsible for such intriguing open-air conversions as the Corvette LSR Roadster , Maybach 62 cabriolet and the (limited) production version of the Ford GTX1 concept . Genaddi's design for the Murcielago is far less complicated, but from the description, its simplicity...
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