Lamborghini Reveals Aventador’s Carbon Fiber Monocoque Ahead of Geneva

What really makes Lamborghinis the desirable supercars that find their way onto little boys' bedroom walls is their outlandish, aggressive appearance. But, in recent years, the company’s involvement with engineers from its German parent company has resulted in more technologically advanced cars that perform as well as they look. After the Italian house revealed details of the new engine, transmission and suspension, it’s the turn of the new flagship’s all-carbon fiber monocoque to be revealed ahead of the Geneva debut. One major change made to the Murcielago replacement is the extensive use of carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) technology throughout the car. All the components that make up the chassis are bonded together in such a way as to function as a “single shell” that acts like one component, thus taking full advantage of the extreme rigidity of CFRP. Formula 1 race cars have been using the technology for many years now, as it offers a good compromise between safety and rigidity. The whole body of the future supercar weighs only 229.5 kilograms (505 lbs) and is incredibly strong, offering a torsional rigidity of 35,000 Newton meters per degree of twist. The light-weight chassis is built using Resin Transfer Moulding (RTM), a process in which carbon fiber mats are preformed and impregnated with a precise amount of resin. After that, they are cured under heat while the part is in the mold. Lamborghini has even made the mold itself from the composite material, to make production faster. autoevolution will be attending the 2011 Geneva Motor Show, so stay tuned for some real up close and personal shots of the vehicles, as well as for first-hand details of the motorized contraptions presented at the event.