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VW Developing Carbon Fiber Roof Option
Volkswagen AG tells Edmunds.com it is developing a carbon-fiber-reinforced roof to offer as a weight-saving option in performance versions of its Golf hatchback, such as the 256-hp Golf R.
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Volkswagen AG tells Edmunds.com it is developing a carbon-fiber-reinforced roof to offer as a weight-saving option in performance versions of its Golf hatchback, such as the 256-hp Golf R.
The panel will be about 18 lbs lighter than the standard steel roof, according to VW. The company says its biggest remaining developmental hurdle is finding a way to create a waterproof seal between the plastic panel and the rest of the car.
VW hasn't indicated a retail price for the would-be option. But the fact that once-exotic carbon fiber is even being considered for something like the $35,000 Golf R suggests the material's costs are beginning to fall enough to make mass production feasible.
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