DailyDirt: More Plastic Cars

from the urls-we-dig-up dept

It's been a while since the Pontiac Fiero was considered a "radical" car. If you don't remember it, the Fiero had a plastic body -- which some folks said made it unsafe (even though owners of it were more likely to be injured from an engine fire). Plastic cars have continued to improve, and here are just a few more car parts that are being made from environmentally-friendly plastic. By the way, StumbleUpon can recommend some good Techdirt articles, too.
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Filed Under: carbon fiber, cars, environmentally friendly, lightweight cars, mad cows, plastic, tires
Companies: bridgestone, pontiac


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  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 3 Jan 2012 @ 5:26pm

    Recyclable Plastic Cars?

    One of the first things to get pirated in the near future.

    Don't believe me? We're half way there:
    http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:13827

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    Violated (profile), 3 Jan 2012 @ 5:34pm

    Printing

    We need more downloadable cars. Print out then off down the shops.

    The only downloadable car I have seen to date was nearly 700TB. Kind of huge to confirm if it was valid.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 3 Jan 2012 @ 5:39pm

      Re: Printing

      Ironically, downloading cars would require far less bandwidth then shitty movies and blu-ray rips.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 3 Jan 2012 @ 6:15pm

      Re: Printing

      That is why we need SOPA, first you steal music and movies, now you want to steal cars!

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 3 Jan 2012 @ 5:48pm

    Or maybe in the future we all will have a common base that can be used to secure our own frames, where you just bolt down the frame, something like we do today with RC Car models.

    Youtube - How To Make Your Own Carbon Fiber (Fibre) Parts
    candlepowerforums - DIY fully carbon fiber knife building. :) Lots of pics!
    Instructables - How I built a carbon bike frame at home (and a bamboo frame too)

    Steampunkworkshop - A Victorian RV

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Pixelation, 3 Jan 2012 @ 6:18pm

    "Replacing steel in cars with composite materials will make our four-wheeled friends lighter and more fuel efficient."

    With the added bonus that they'll fly a lot farther when I hit them with my heavy ass truck!

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Jason, 3 Jan 2012 @ 7:37pm

    Fiero

    I've always wanted a Fiero.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 3 Jan 2012 @ 9:08pm

    This is nothing new. Back in the 70's we made a van entirely out of fiberweed.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Pixelation, 3 Jan 2012 @ 9:38pm

      Re:

      "Back in the 70's we made a van entirely out of fiberweed."

      I think you were smoking the fiberweed. Up in smoke.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Pixelation, 3 Jan 2012 @ 9:37pm

    Ironic

    Fiero was definitely an ironic name.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    Bergman (profile), 4 Jan 2012 @ 1:00am

    Tires that don't require air isn't news, they've been around for almost a decade for civilian vehicles, and quite a bit longer for military vehicles.

    What's newsworthy about Bridgestone's new tires is they're made from recyclable materials, not that they're non-pneumatic.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    Violated (profile), 4 Jan 2012 @ 8:19am

    Re: Printing

    I expect to see cars available for download over the next few years. This would be done lawfully under Creative Commons which would mean free to use at home but any commercial sales needs a license agreement.

    This one act would kick off a major billion dollar market. The local showrooms and factories would gain when they would have the huge 3D printers and can handle colours, mods and upgrades which would win over the home market.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    Tom Landry (profile), 4 Jan 2012 @ 4:15pm

    The Fiero....ugh.

    I drove several when they had first come out. I can't remember a more cheap feeling vehicle outside of the Dodge Omni/Charger 2+2 family at the time (The special edition Shelby's were high comedy....several interior trim pieces vibrated off including the rear view mirror). Compare the similar Toyota MR2 during that period and its night and day. Tight, solid, nimble and fun. Fiero was none of these things. There isn't a better example of why the American car industry ended up a sad joke that is just now starting to get its head out of its ass.

    link to this | view in chronology ]


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