Carbon fiber is a stiff, lightweight material made from chains of carbon atoms. Carbon fiber is costly and labor-intensive to fabricate, so cars that contain it will mostly be luxury sports cars and racecars. Carbon fiber is used in sports cars to reduce weight but maintain structural integrity. Although metal is stronger, carbon fiber’s strength-to-weight ratio is superior. Parts made with pure carbon fiber tend to be mechanical or structural.
Carbon-fiber exterior car parts are actually carbon-fiber-reinforced plastics (CFRP), which increases their tensile strength and malleability but at a lower cost than pure carbon fiber while still drastically shedding the parts’ weight. CFRP is typically identified by its black/graphite gray/silvery weave pattern.
Automakers sometimes use a glossy carbon-fiber veneer on budget-conscious models to dress up inexpensive plastic bits that would otherwise look dull and cheap. This differs from CFRP, as it gives no increased rigidity or weight savings.
