Not much detail here, but even Porsche has some kind of "light weight technology" it will deploy in the Panamera. I think we can safely assume Porsche will apply this to other models.
Quote:
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The lightweight technology in Porsche's upcoming Panamera is being coveted by Volkswagen. Porsche Chief Designer Wolfgang Dürheimer told Automobilwoche that VW and Audi made it clear that they are interested in using the new materials for their own vehicles once Porsche became a significant VW shareholder. Since VW also has technologies that Porsche might want and the two have co-developed a hybrid transmission, working together on lightweight body panels, etc., is only natural, says Dürheimer. Porsche and VW will "increasingly work together in appropriate areas such as development to cut costs for all partners," he told the magazine.
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Source:
http://www.autobloggreen.com/2007/11/21/porshces-lightweight-technology-eyed-by-vw-and-audi/
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Here's a European project that is interesting and germane:
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SuperLIGHT-CAR is a collaborative Research & Development project co-funded by the European Commission under the 6th Framework Programme. In SuperLIGHT-CAR, 38 leading organizations from 9 european countries work together to bring lightweight automotive technologies closer to high volume car production.
SuperLIGHT-CAR has a multi-material philosophy, striving to use for each part the best material and manufacturing processes in terms of weight and cost minimization, while fulfilling a wide range of automotive requirements in areas such as stiffness, crash performance, fatigue and corrosion resistance, etc.
The core driving force for SuperLIGHT-CAR has been from the start a group of seven European car makers: Volkswagen (as coordinator), Fiat Research Centre, Opel, Renault, Volvo Technology Centre, Porsche and DaimlerChrysler. These, together with top level organizations from science (e.g. Fraunhofer Institutes, Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt or Commisariat à l´énergie atomique) as well as the supplier industry (e.g. Arcelor, Hydro, Corus or Comau), have defined the SuperLIGHT-CAR approach. The project has an ambitious objective; it aims to deliver the technologies and design concepts that would allow up to 30% weight reduction in the C-class car models of the future generations, while respecting the very demanding cost restrictions of such popular models. SuperLIGHT-CAR coordinates with other major RTD projects co-funded under the 6th Framework Programme through the EUCAR umbrella (EUCAR: European Council for Automotive Research).
The precompetitive achievements of SuperLIGHT-CAR applied in series production beyond 2010 will serve a basis to save millions of tons fuel respectively carbon dioxide due to significantly reduced vehicle weight.
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Source:
http://www.superlightcar.com/public/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1
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There's lots more stuff like this going on! It's ironic that a quest for better fuel economy via lightweight will find its way back to the benefit of performance cars.
Further, I think a sort of wall has been hit working the F = m * a equation by just upping horsepower to compensate for added weight, although this has been the cheaper solution for manufacturers. It cost a lot more money to approach the equation from the weight side, but fuel costs have forced makers to to do so.
FWIW.
Best,
Kurt