The Next BMW 7 Series Will Use Carbon Fibre
BMW is continuing to further the development and installation of carbon fibre. After using it to lighten the M3/M4 and then creating the sleek i3 and i8 out of it, the Bavarian manufacturer is about to go one step further: for the first time ever its flagship sedan, the 7 Series, will feature carbon fibre embedded directly into its chassis.
While it was previously only used in race cars, carbon fibre is becoming more and more mainstream, and BMW is one of the most fervent users of the material. For the next 7 Series, it seems that the lightweight material will be used in a few key areas of the chassis; this will help keep weight down and will lower the car's centre of gravity.
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There are carbon fibre inserts in the C and B pillars (among other places), but the most interesting part is the arc that spans the entire length of the cabin; it is one of the longest car pieces ever made out of the material.
Overall, the next BMW 7 Series will be 129 kg lighter than the outgoing version; 40 kg of that savings comes from the new chassis.
