<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/tech/" rel="tag">Technology</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/ford/" rel="tag">Ford</a></p><a href="http://www.nasdaq.com/aspx/stock-market-news-story.aspx?storyid=201009151539dowjonesdjonline000521&title=ford-ceo-cautious-on-auto-composites"><img width="630" vspace="4" hspace="0" height="418" border="1" align="top" alt="Mike Rowe and Alan Mulally in New York" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/09/11explorer2011debutnyc630-1284903055.jpg" /></a><br />
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There's been plenty of talk about carmakers moving to lighter materials like carbon fiber to reduce weight, improve fuel economy and enhance the driving experience. Two years ago, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/make/honda">Honda</a> and <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/make/nissan">Nissan</a> formed <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2008/07/24/honda-and-nissan-working-to-mass-market-carbon-fiber/">a consortium to research</a> the mass-market implementation of carbon fiber. Last year, <a href="http://www.autoblog/com/make/bmw">BMW</a> launched <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/02/add-lightness-bmw-signs-joint-venture-to-further-carbon-fiber-r/">its own joint venture</a> to do the same. Lamborghini joined the party when it opened its own <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/07/14/lamborghini-announces-new-carbon-fiber-research-center/">CF research center</a> earlier this year. In practice, though, use of composites for large panels is still limited to spendier offerings like the <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/model/m3">BMW M3</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/08/20/2011-audi-r8-v10-spyder-first-drive-road-test-review/">Audi R8 V10 Spyder</a> and the exotic classes. <br />
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<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/make/ford">Ford</a> CEO Alan Mulally gives a reason for that. "We cannot make a business case for composites in the auto industry," he says, citing the work left to be done on producing better steel and alloys. Mulally adds that getting enough composites to meet a volume maker's needs and the sheer cost of production nixes the prospect for now. Instead, thermosetting plastics - different than thermoplastics - are a solution more near-at-hand.<br />
<em><strong><br />
<small>Photo Copyright (C)2010 Alex Núñez /AOL</small></strong></em><br />
[Source: <a href="http://www.nasdaq.com/aspx/stock-market-news-story.aspx?storyid=201009151539dowjonesdjonline000521&title=ford-ceo-cautious-on-auto-composites">Dow Jones</a>]<p style="padding:5px;background:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/09/19/fords-mulally-we-cannot-make-a-business-case-for-composites/">Ford's Mulally: "We cannot make a business case" for composites</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.autoblog.com">Autoblog</a> on Sun, 19 Sep 2010 14:07:00 EST. Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href=http://www.nasdaq.com/aspx/stock-market-news-story.aspx?storyid=201009151539dowjonesdjonline000521&title=ford-ceo-cautious-on-auto-composites>Read</a> | <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/09/19/fords-mulally-we-cannot-make-a-business-case-for-composites/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/forward/19637616/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a> | <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/09/19/fords-mulally-we-cannot-make-a-business-case-for-composites/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>
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<br />
There's been plenty of talk about carmakers moving to lighter materials like carbon fiber to reduce weight, improve fuel economy and enhance the driving experience. Two years ago, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/make/honda">Honda</a> and <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/make/nissan">Nissan</a> formed <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2008/07/24/honda-and-nissan-working-to-mass-market-carbon-fiber/">a consortium to research</a> the mass-market implementation of carbon fiber. Last year, <a href="http://www.autoblog/com/make/bmw">BMW</a> launched <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/02/add-lightness-bmw-signs-joint-venture-to-further-carbon-fiber-r/">its own joint venture</a> to do the same. Lamborghini joined the party when it opened its own <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/07/14/lamborghini-announces-new-carbon-fiber-research-center/">CF research center</a> earlier this year. In practice, though, use of composites for large panels is still limited to spendier offerings like the <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/model/m3">BMW M3</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/08/20/2011-audi-r8-v10-spyder-first-drive-road-test-review/">Audi R8 V10 Spyder</a> and the exotic classes. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/make/ford">Ford</a> CEO Alan Mulally gives a reason for that. "We cannot make a business case for composites in the auto industry," he says, citing the work left to be done on producing better steel and alloys. Mulally adds that getting enough composites to meet a volume maker's needs and the sheer cost of production nixes the prospect for now. Instead, thermosetting plastics - different than thermoplastics - are a solution more near-at-hand.<br />
<em><strong><br />
<small>Photo Copyright (C)2010 Alex Núñez /AOL</small></strong></em><br />
[Source: <a href="http://www.nasdaq.com/aspx/stock-market-news-story.aspx?storyid=201009151539dowjonesdjonline000521&title=ford-ceo-cautious-on-auto-composites">Dow Jones</a>]<p style="padding:5px;background:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/09/19/fords-mulally-we-cannot-make-a-business-case-for-composites/">Ford's Mulally: "We cannot make a business case" for composites</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.autoblog.com">Autoblog</a> on Sun, 19 Sep 2010 14:07:00 EST. Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href=http://www.nasdaq.com/aspx/stock-market-news-story.aspx?storyid=201009151539dowjonesdjonline000521&title=ford-ceo-cautious-on-auto-composites>Read</a> | <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/09/19/fords-mulally-we-cannot-make-a-business-case-for-composites/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/forward/19637616/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a> | <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/09/19/fords-mulally-we-cannot-make-a-business-case-for-composites/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>
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