No. 802: Lamborghini collaborates with a Japanese university to develop carbon fiber (November 12, 2013)

Business trend:

Lamborghini, an Italian automaker, agreed with Nagoya Institute of Technology to collaborate in the development of carbon fiber. The company established a laboratory in the university to address seriously business-academic collaboration to establish a low-cost and faster mass production technology of advanced composite materials. Famous for the birthplace of Toyota, the Chubu district is growing very fast today as a cluster of advanced technologies and industries.

Lamborghini Aventador that has an autobody

made of carbon fiber

In the press conference, the first laboratory director told that his laboratory will develop carbon fiber not only for exterior parts but also for interior parts including engine and market research results to automakers and aircraft makers. His laboratory will conduct joint research with Uchida, a carbon fiber processing company, and Mitsubishi Rayon. Carbon fiber is 10 times stronger than iron and weighs one fourth of iron. It is widely applied to aircraft, but is applied only to luxurious supercars like Lexus LFA and Italian supercars. 

Some day, you can drive a Lexus LFA