i think the problem today with reducing weight is that given today's safety standards and ginormous SUVs, cars need the weight for reinforcing bars, impact beams, etc. etc. Yes, we all know how crucial of a role weight plays in performance and fuel economy, but with safety standards climbing higher but cars not getting any smaller--it's really not possible to reduce weight without dramatically increasing cost.

 

This is a very good point. Manufacturers are stuck in this cycle where they've figured out how to make big, powerful engines more fuel efficient while moving more weight around. Where does it stop? Are we going to see 6,000 lb. Mazdas with 550 HP that gets 30 MPG in ten years? Let's go the other way around. Using todays technology in fuel efficiency, what would be wrong with a car that had 200 HP, weighed 2,000 lbs, did 0-60 in under 6 seconds and got 45 MPG?

 

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there's a lot of ways to save weight without affecting safety:

- reciprocating weight (lighter wheels)
- unsprung (brakes/suspension/etc)
- engine / battery / spare tire (or fix-a-flats) reduction
- seats / al hood/trunk/roof

myriad of stuff to do that isn't that expensive....

 

oh well, I don;t drive FWD anymore...

 

lighter wheels means forged wheels...which cost more
unsprung weight means lighter alloys in components....which cost more
you'd really want run-flats after how crappy they are compared to regular tires?
and once again about lighter seats, aluminum hood/etc...these all cost more

F430 Scuderia > standard F430
Gallardo Superleggera > standard Gallardo
911 GT3 > Carrera S

they're all "lighter & tighter" stock vehicles that have slightly power increase and weight saving plans. that cost much more than their standard counterparts.

 

To an extent, fine...........but remember, all else equal (and you can't escape the laws of physics here) less weight means less ride comfort, less stability on the road, and less crashworthiness in an accident. I, for one, don't want to get to the point where cars are like cardboard boxes.

 

Well we have laws for that to keep cars from being killing machines.

Run-flats actually weigh more but he was talking about a can of fix-a-flat.

 

Yes, but we're talking about ordinary cars, here, not super cars. We're also talking about spending more R&D dollars on weight savings INSTEAD of engine performance technology. Like I said earlier in this thread, Manufacturers don't care how heavy their cars get because they've figured out how to move them around with big, powerful, fuel efficient engines. The only problem in this line of thinking is that handling suffers. Pretty soon, manufacturers won't care if their best selling, mid-sized sedan, weighs more than 7,000 lbs because they've figured out how to get 500 HP out of the engine and still meet federal fuel mileage regulations. Where will it stop?

 

I just love my is350, its my... my... precious...

*need i say more?*

 

We're almost at the point where if you want to reduce weight while keeping all those gizmos and gadgets, then we're going to have to resort to more exotic materials.

The body and engine are mostly made up of aluminum already. Dumping those power seats will save a lot of weight, but then you'll be losing luxury.

Take your existing car right now and try to lighten it up by 300lbs without losing any luxury feature. If you manage to take out 300lbs, you'll most likely be using some sort of expensive/lightweight material. Now unless there is a very very large demand for lighter cars, manufactors will keep on adding power while increasing weight because they know horsepower is one of the factor that sells cars.

 

Yes, that's true, but civil laws and Federal Safety requirements can't overrule the laws of physics. You can only pare down automotive weight so far without compromising safety. I don't care how many air bags, door beams, crush-zones, etc..... you stick on a Chevy Aveo. Run an Aveo head-on into a Suburban, or let it be T-Boned by one, and I can guarantee you which one of the two vehicles....and its occupants.....will come out second-best.

 

To reduce weight, we just need to keep off the electronic crap. All those computers add weight and complexity.

 

Yup, electronics, options and ammenities have added to the weight of cars along with all of the safety gear.