Bcomp, Porsche Motorsport and Four Motors have unveiled new Bcomp grey-toned components on the Porsche GT3 Cup car, representing what the companies say is “the next evolution of natural fiber composites in motorsport”.
The Four Motors Porsche GT3 Cup will use exterior body components produced with Bcomp’s grey ampliTex, an updated aesthetic for the natural fiber composite material.
This collaboration builds on previous projects with Porsche Motorsport, including the Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 CS, Porsche 718 GT4 RS Clubsport and Porsche Mission R. This latest project focused on performance-oriented sustainable design, combining visual design and material sustainability in a fully integrated solution.
Ken Kruck, sales representative motorsports at Bcomp, said, “Our collaboration with Porsche Motorsport and Four Motors provides an avenue for joint innovation. These new processes allow us to deliver a new look for natural fiber composites, that is not only high-performing, but also road relevant. Following the success of coloured ampliTex in road car interiors, we are proud to bring this Bcomp grey as our signature motorsport color to race cars, as shown on this stunning Four Motors Porsche GT3 Cup Car.”
The Bcomp grey tone of the parts showcases how natural materials can be tailored to blend with high-performance design, beyond the natural gold-brown appearance of flax-fibers seen in earlier models. Road relevance is further reinforced by a painted surface on the exterior parts, rather than the foil typically used in race components. While adhesive films (foils) are used to enable rapid design changes, the use of paint further demonstrates the feasibility of natural fiber composites in high-performance road cars.
The hood, rear wing end plates and front bumper dive planes of the Four Motors Porsche GT3 Cup car have been reverse-engineered by Bcomp. Previously made from aluminum and carbon fiber for the production race car, the parts were manufactured using Bcomp’s coloured ampliTex flax fiber reinforcement fabrics.
When produced in an autoclave in combination with Bcomp’s powerRibs, natural fiber parts can achieve an equivalent stiffness and weight to carbon-fiber components, said Bcomp. They also meet the same high safety and quality standards, offering 250% improved vibration damping and improved crash behavior, mitigating against the splintering often associated with carbon fiber, according to Bcomp. AmpliTex is manufactured with less energy, enabling a CO2 emission reduction of up to 85%.
“A major paradigm shift is taking place. In showcasing the latest advancements in sustainable technologies through racing, we are not only inspiring change within motorsport but also facilitating progress in other vital mobility sectors, further demonstrating our commitment to – and ambition for – a greener future for the sector,” commented Thomas von Löwis of Menar, CEO and driver at Four Motors.
Matthias Scholz, director GT Racecars at Porsche Motorsport, added, “The implemented components of the Four Motors Porsche GT3 Cup car were created in collaboration with Bcomp and Porsche Motorsport to demonstrate the next step in the material development of natural fiber components. These findings will be incorporated into future products.”
