We’re not the type to be easily surprised by anything that happens in the auto industry, but this one really caught us off-guard - in a good way, of course.

This here is a new lightweight BMW X5->ke326 prototype that, according to BMW->ke178, is about 50% lighter than the weight of the first ever X5 to be released to the public some years ago. The material in use for this prototype is something that’s called carbon fiber reinforced plastic, a material that supposedly cuts the overall bulk of cars without compromising any of the safety standards set on these vehicles.

That potential alone should make the hairs on the back of our heads rise without provocation.

In addition to its lightweight nature – and the fact that nothing is taken away as far as safety is concerned, the CFRP can also provide stability to a vehicle in inclement conditions while providing the necessary sturdiness to absorb any potential hits without debilitating damage.

All in all, this X5 prototype, by using the CFRP material, saves as much as 400 pounds from other X5s that use steel on the body. It may not look a lot to the casual observer, but 400 pounds less means less weight to pull around. And you don’t need to tell us how that affects the power and speed of a car.

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