BMW reales a video of a car they claim is as safe as a car with a metal skin

By using a fabric skin but as they say a very good space frame
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kTYiEkQYhWY&NR=1


me thinks this could go very wrong but its kinda smart at the same time

WTF OMFG is that thing real?

Imagine what it could do for aerodynamics - a car that can change its shape to suit the conditions and speed.

Or even for parking, a car that shrinks itself

Quote from NitroNitrous :

Or even for parking, a car that shrinks itself

Whel it cant do that becaus it stil has a spaceframe

Very Impressive idea, but pretty pointless in real world situations.

Only thing i can see being a problem would be things like keeping the damn thing clean .

Quote from Chrisuu01 :

Whel it cant do that becaus it stil has a spaceframe

You could have the spaceframe fold itself up inside the car to an extent.

A cloud of dust = bye bye color

omg! bmw nanosuit!

It isn't that fair fetched, the Hurricane was made out of a wooden frame and a fabric skin. Keeps weight down, and all the strength comes from the frame anyway, plus the paintjob gives the fabric extra rigidity, it will also mean if you get in a fender bender it doesn't cost as much to repair (one of the benefits during WWII), and it wont go rusty.

In amongst the design emotion nonsense is a good idea, although trust Bangle to make it just as ugly as steel skinned cars. Weight is the biggest issue with modern cars and given rising fuel prices and the environmental camp getting rid of it is a big issue for car manufacturers, cars have just got bigger and heavier for no real reason over recent years. Autocar had an interview with someone from Ford a while ago in which they said that they were thought they could remove 400kg from the current Focus without any loss in equipment or safety.

Wow, I was just thinking "thats an ugly concept car" until they showed all the parts moving, and I loved the bonnet opening up to show the engine, and the headlights opening, it looked scary, like its alive.

I saw it a bit earlier today already. Looks ugly, but the idea is very good and I think in time it would actually be do-able.

Finally, they will be able to reduce the opening over the radiator at high speeds, when you don't need so much cooling, and therefore reduce aerodynamic drag at higher speeds. About time IMO.

ignoring all the buzzword nonsense its rather quite brilliant in the way it almost looks alive
not sure how the body would react to the turbulences at speed though

Yep...finally a concept car that doesn't look pulled off a futuristic movie set! True innovation and not just design...

Quote from Shotglass :

not sure how the body would react to the turbulences at speed though

yeah, I was wondering that - it'd need to be pulled pretty tight to stop it flapping like a flag in a strong wind.

hmmm i wonder whats the life span of something like this.... would you have to get it re-skinned after several years or what ??

Quote from Shotglass :

ignoring all the buzzword nonsense its rather quite brilliant in the way it almost looks alive
not sure how the body would react to the turbulences at speed though

If it worked with WWII fighter planes, I am more than sure they will be able to get it to work with a car.

Quote from P5YcHoM4N :

If it worked with WWII fighter planes, I am more than sure they will be able to get it to work with a car.

With the added bonus of cars not being shot at quite as often.

Quote from ATC Quicksilver :

With the added bonus of cars not being shot at quite as often.

I don't know about that, it is a beamer, it'd probably get shot at more often.

Quote from P5YcHoM4N :

I don't know about that, it is a beamer, it'd probably get shot at more often.

Thats true, and they would need to make a reskin of the car cheaper than repairing a bad scratch, otherwise people with go round knifing them.

Quote from ATC Quicksilver :

Wow, I was just thinking "thats an ugly concept car" until they showed all the parts moving, and I loved the bonnet opening up to show the engine, and the headlights opening, it looked scary, like its alive.

Yes it kinda gives me the idea of some scary looking preditor awakening from its slumber

Quote from theirishnoob :

hmmm i wonder whats the life span of something like this.... would you have to get it re-skinned after several years or what ??

Also the isseu is with a matel skin to makee it look pretty you wax it and stuff

But how on earth would you take care of a cloth skin?
shoe polish ore something?:dunce:

would you unzip it and put it in the washer?

You realise that BMW started life as an aeroplane manufacturer? And they are, after all, German? I'm sure they're well used to dealing with being/having their products shot at.

Quote from Bob Smith :

You realise that BMW started life as an aeroplane manufacturer? And they are, after all, German? I'm sure they're well used to dealing with being/having their products shot at.

Agree.

BTW, you can wash this car in your washing machine, it´s easier to clean than normal cars