Ford Debuts Carbon Fiber Intake System

Ford Motor Co.’s Australian model Falcon XR6 Sprint muscle car features the company’s first application of a carbon fiber engine air intake system.

The carbon fiber unit improves the “performance feel” of the car’s turbocharged 4.0-liter inline-six engine and is more responsive and significantly stronger than conventional blow-molded plastic systems, according to the carmaker.

Developed by Premcar Pty Ltd., a Melbourne-based engineering firm, the system is nearly 50% lighter than a plastic intake. The carbon fiber unit is less prone to warping under severe heat or load and enables the turbocharger’s compressor to spool faster, Ford says.

The turbo-six makes 435 hp and 425 lb-ft of torque, which can be hiked to 496 hp and 479 lb-ft for 10-second spurts via the car’s overboost system.

Australia’s Quickstep Automotive will produce the carbon air intake for Ford. It’s the first large scale automotive contract for the company, which provides carbon fiber components for military and aerospace applications.

The carbon fiber material is sourced from the U.K., pre-infused with resin and hand-laid in four layers. The design yields much thinner walls than a typical plastic intake, which Ford notes improves design flexibility and air flow.

Although Ford will discontinue the Falcon after this year when it closes its two Australian factories later this year, the company is evaluating the use of a carbon fiber intake system for other vehicles worldwide. Another Australian company, Carbon Revolution, provides carbon fiber wheels for Ford’s Mustang Shelby GT350R.