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06-25-2007, 01:49 PM
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#1 |
 
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Plastic Rims!
Granted, there are options out there if you're looking to buy rims not constructed from some type of metallic matter, but for the tamer crowd, Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft's plastic alternatives are probably more your style. The firm's research team has reportedly developed fiber-reinforced plastics that enabled trial wheels to last some 250,000 kilometers without falling apart, and they are hoping that designers will soon have "more latitude in their choice of material." The next challenge, however, is convincing regulators that non-metal rims have what it takes to be a safe addition to your next vehicle, but barring any major catastrophes in future test scenarios, you won't find us complaining about wheels that weigh (and cost) less.
http://www.fraunhofer.de/fhg/EN/pres...2007Thema6.jsp 
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*Philosophy of life... Brought to you by... "Nutzoids" Nutzoids... Where Punk rock is less about Image, and more about the Mind! |
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06-25-2007, 01:58 PM
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#2 |
 
Drives: 2005 Scion xB Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: The Black Hills of South Dakota
Posts: 1,059
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That's crazy, but kinda cool. If they are light enough and cheap enough I think they would be quite popular.
I wonder what they consider "feather weight". |
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06-25-2007, 02:10 PM
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#3 |
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vroom vroom
Drives: lil red 5-door Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Bangkok, Thailand
Posts: 7,744
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this is definitely something that will be big in the future...
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The price of freedom of religion, or of speech, or of the press, is that we must put up with a good deal of rubbish. - Robert Jackson  Bye bye 1NZ... |
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06-25-2007, 02:28 PM
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#4 |
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Club Baby Seals
Drives: Yaris Sedan Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: NY
Posts: 206
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Well the example is quite ugly but it's rather intriguing. Wonder if plastic would be easier to fix than metal.
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06-25-2007, 02:34 PM
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#5 |
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vroom vroom
Drives: lil red 5-door Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Bangkok, Thailand
Posts: 7,744
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well, it probably won't have to look like that picture, plastic can be painted, dyed, or *shudder* chromed... Overall most plastics are tough but flexible, so we shoudn't see any dents easily, but scratching may be a problem... wait and see...
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The price of freedom of religion, or of speech, or of the press, is that we must put up with a good deal of rubbish. - Robert Jackson Bye bye 1NZ... |
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06-25-2007, 02:36 PM
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#6 |
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Drives: 2007 Yaris HB Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: my own little world
Posts: 1,256
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Wow! that swirly pattern in the sample wheel looks like damn bowling ball though!
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06-25-2007, 02:38 PM
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#7 |
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Lonesome Cowboy
Drives: 2007 WHITE HATCHBACK Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Inner City, Dallas
Posts: 2,995
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very cool, I'm game
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