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The primary objective for the F-Type project was to create a press formed and bonded structure, saving at least 100kg whilst maintaining structural performance and to engineer the chassis at an affordable cost.
Press formed body panels can lower the cost of prototyping and speed up the demonstration of scalable composites in manufacturing processes and is an ideal material for its inherent high strength, high stiffness and low mass properties.
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The F-Type design and development strategy consisted of utilising the front and rear end aluminium structures, but with central carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) to optimise platform flexibility. In addition, new composite top hats and skin panels would be used per derivative.
The new design enabled the panel count to reduce from 250 panels to just 50 panels. This allowed for substantial investment cost savings in stampings and final assembly, as well as a significant reduction in assembly factory footprint.