The Lamborghini Aventador J
roadster, which debuted at this year's Geneva Motor Show, not only uses carbon-fiber composites throughout the car, but also features a new seat upholstery material called CarbonSkin.
The new material is reportedly woven of carbon fibers in a 2x2 twill pattern, and then infused in a new type of resin, in an entirely new impregnation system that has not been used before in the automotive industry. This infusion process stabilizes and strengthens the fiber structure, as is usual in resin infusion systems, yet the fabric remains soft and flexible after curing. The result is a matte fabric that is said to be half the weight of leather, and that can be easily shaped to conform to a broad variety of contours.
The new Lamborghini Aventador J roadster not only uses carbon-fiber composites throughout the car, but also features a new interior upholstery material called CarbonSkin. (Source: Lamborghini)
Like its predecessor, the Aventador LP 700-4, the Aventador J showcases multiple uses of carbon-fiber-reinforced plastics. Lamborghini is noted for developing many "firsts" in these materials over the last 30 years. In 2010, the car company opened the Advanced Composites Research Center to further development of these materials. In the J, they are distributed throughout the car's exterior and interior, including the chassis.
The CarbonSkin carbon-fiber composite fabric is soft and pliable enough to cover the vehicle's car seats, where it's used as both upholstery and trim fabric. It also covers other surfaces in the cockpit, such as the center console, the instrument-panel topper pad, and inner door panels.
After each forged composite seat shell is molded, the CarbonSkin material is co-bonded and sewn to the seat's front. The new fabric is produced for the automaker by a manufacturing partner company, although it was developed and patented by Lamborghini.
The Aventador J's seats themselves are made of forged carbon-fiber composites. Each seat is a two-piece bonded shell structure. The forged composite material was jointly developed by Lamborghini's R&D groups in partnership with Callaway Golf Co. That material was first shown at the 2010 Paris Motor Show, on the suspension arms and monocoque of Lamborghini's Sesto Elemento demonstrator vehicle.
The forged composite is said to be the strongest and lightest material that either of the partner companies has ever used. It comprises more than 500,000 intertwined, randomly oriented, turbostratic fibers per square inch. Precision parts that can withstand extremely high forces can be produced with it.
Jack, funny you should mention that--the seats look really uncomfortable to me, too. Not because of the carbon skin surface treatment--which supposedly feels like leather--but because of the forged composite seat material. It somehow looks hard, not soft. But maybe that;'s just the photo.
I think it may be a trend (or maybe fad) for exotic sports cars to one-up each other in the use of Carbon-Fiber. I've seen some new standard passenger cars clouting their use of synthetic leather seats which are lighter, less expensive and more durable than leather (they say)...the new Toyota Prius is one ("SofTex" material).
For my cars, I much prefer leather...and I own two cars that are equipped with leather seats. The leather seats just feel more comfortable and luxurious to me. I also like leather-wrapped steering wheels. My wife also prefers leather...standard in her Acura TSX. Our three adult kids-cars have cloth seats, being regular 4-door economy cars for college and work commuting. For our home, we prefer cloth-type seating for couches and such.
I have friends who refer cloth fabric seats, mostly those who spend long hours driving to and from work. They like cloth because it breaths and does not get sticky against skin like leather.
Lamborghini is pushing the envelope. They make sports cars not sporty cars. There is a basic difference. These cars are the pinnacle of go-fast machines, not cushy sunday driver stuff. If you want living room furniture in your car then drive a Cadillac. Incidently the Lambo shown costs considerably more than $100,000.
Rick, thanks for the input about the trend in leather replacement car seat materials. Personally, I also prefer the feel of leather and other natural materials to synthetic materials, whether it's on my car seat, my couch or my clothes. Although I would not prefer to drive a Cadillac.
I wonder what the replacement costs would be?I agree completely that leather seats would be preferable to carbon fiber but I bet replacing the carbon fiber seats would be considerably less expensive than replacing the leather seats—especially if the carbon is molded.I would love to know if this is true.It appears also that carbon fiber would be much easier to clean than leather.( Shows you how very few high-priced cars I have had with leather seats. ) At any rate—just a thought.
Good question, bobjengr. It's not clear from the description, but it sounded like the carbon skin seat covering material is applied to or laid on top of the separate forged composite seat structures, in a manner parallel to that of leather. If that's the case, I'd think replacement costs might be similar to leather.
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