AmpliTex: coming to a racetrack near you

A Swiss company is proving there is a cost-effective way to create a light, eco-friendly material that rivals carbon fibre

- CAMERON KIRBY

CARBON FIBRE IS COOL: fact. It’s a gospel truth of the automotive world that if you want to make anything ooze an aura of awesome that’d make Steve McQueen jealous, just drape it in that silky black weave.

Behind the aerospace and defence sector, the automotive industry is the world’s next biggest consumer of carbon fibre. Problem is, carbon fibre requires vast amounts of energy to create, and is incredibly difficult to recycle. So, as the motoring world relentlessly moves toward a more ecologically conscious future, sustained use of the lightweight composite will become an ever larger moral quandary.

Enter ampliTex, a carbon-fibre-like material that is created from sustainable materials, requires less energy to produce, and can be recycled easily. The alternative to traditional composite materials has been created by Bcomp, a Swiss outfit that specialises entirely in creating sustainable lightweight materials. Porsche uses ampliTex on its Cayman GT4 Clubsport racer, while the McLaren F1 team is evaluating using the material for the construction of Daniel Ricciardo’s seat for next year.

The core ingredient of ampliTex is flax, a flowering plant used primarily in the production of linen. Not only are the raw materials needed to create ampliTex better for the environment compared to carbon fibre, but it also requires less energy to create.