BMW Builds a Cloth Car

[MOTOR31]

Making a cloth covered car. Dumb freaking idea. I suppose they never thought about what the sun does to cloth over a period of time. Since it's a convertable they never gave a concern to leaks, air leaks, insulation or sound deadening.

 

[Threeteas]

The Millenium Dome in London. Financial disaster but fabric to withstand leaks, the Sun (there is some) and noise containment, it's an entertainment centre for concerts. Same material should be sufficient for a car's life expectancy.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millennium_Dome

 

[RJM2096]

Thinking outside of the box. Kind of cool.

 

[WildBlue]

Making a cloth covered car. Dumb freaking idea. I suppose they never thought about what the sun does to cloth over a period of time. Since it's a convertable they never gave a concern to leaks, air leaks, insulation or sound deadening.

But, its NOT cloth... read a few of the articles out there... something about carbon fibre reinforced neoprene.

 

[WildBlue]

think what a kid with a razor could do to it!

There are and have been many cloths out there that are resistant to blades.

Hell, there is a chainsaw (running) resistant cloth.

 

[larrydk]

ditto on cool

I thinks it's neat....out-of-the-box thinking

 

[The_Veg]

Making a cloth covered car. Dumb freaking idea. I suppose they never thought about what the sun does to cloth over a period of time. Since it's a convertable they never gave a concern to leaks, air leaks, insulation or sound deadening.

I think that it's not so dumb when thought of as what it is: a study of what might be possible. The fabric itself is the wild-card in the idea, but just building it provides a learning experience into the potential of a non-rigid-skinned car.
For years aviation engineers have pondered the potential performance of aircraft that could shape-shift. Variable wing geometry (e.g. F111, F14) is a simple version of that idea. Now imagine an airplane that can also alter its wings' airfoil shape, chord, curvature, dihedral, span, etc., to optimise whatever the airplane is doing at the time. The guys who design fighter-planes have had wet-dreams about stuff like that for decades.
A car is obviously a much simpler machine with a much simpler role. Give it a skin that can do more and other parts that do less. This could achieve a range of goals from mere aesthetics to simpler assembly.

BMW's concept is a cute car, and I think only a mere hint of what may be possible later on.