Interesting article: BMW Carbonfiber supplier

[Zafiro]

Zoltek manufactures carbon fiber, a new age material that is simultaneously light-weight and 100 times stronger than steel. Right now, the carbon fiber Zoltek produces is principally being used to build propellers for wind farms, and they control 85% of the market for aircraft brakes. BMW has begun experimenting with car parts made of Zoltek’s carbon fiber. The M6 model had six carbon fiber parts in 2006, will have 12 parts in 2007 and 18 parts in 2008. BMW has stated a goal of producing a carbon fiber car by 2010, not so long away.

SOURCE

 

[EnI]

M6 - facelift Fall in 2007: more CF used (12 parts instead of 6).
M6 - CSL in 2008: even more CF used (18 parts instead of 12).



2010/11: new Z8 / Z10 - with extensive use of CF (remember Z29 CF prototype?). Btw, there is an idea to badge V8 model (with M3's new engine) a "Z8", and same-but-beefed-up car with updated V10 from M5/M6 a "Z10".

Z8 / Z10 will be a CC - ala MB SL.

 

[Imhotep Evil]

So, when is the Foam-steel with Al-Mg alloy coming ?!

 

[EnI]

So, when is the Foam-steel with Al-Mg alloy coming ?!

According to my info Z8 / Z10 (coming in 2010/11) will be the first BMW car to use extensive lightweight construction & materials (eg. alu / steel bars filled with special foam, Al-Mg alloys for some components, CF body parts & structures, etc.), and will be BMW's "tour-de-tech" model in lightweight construction field, while F01/02 7er will still be "tour-de-tech" regarding electronics (eg. enhanced Adaptive Drive with active chassis management, iDrive Ver 3.0, 8-speed gearbox, Connected Drive features, etc).

Like I said: it is planned to use 2 engines only: upcoming M V8 & updated S85 M V10. So there will be no special Z8 M / Z10 M models since Z8 / Z10 will be "M-ed" enough.

No I6 engines. They will be featured in E89 Z4.

 

[PanterroR]

Like I said: it is planned to use 2 engines only: upcoming M V8 & updated S85 M V10. So there will be no special Z8 M / Z10 M models since Z8 / Z10 will be "M-ed" enough.

I hope you're kidding... No "M" of Z8/Z10???

This time i really hope you and your sources are dead wrong about this...