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LE MANS SPORTS CAR FROM SPYKER BENEFITS FROM ADVANCED MATERIALS TECHNOLOGY
The high performance vehicle will make its debut in the American Le Mans series 12-hour endurance race at Sebring, Florida on Saturday, 15th March. Spyker designers and engineers immediately recognised the benefits of using Hylite, an exceptionally light and strong material, in the construction of special panels. Hylite helps to reduce vehicle body weight, whilst improving the driving characteristics of the new race-car. The 'Spyker Squadron' team will race two cars, based on the road going and award-winning C8-Spyder, at the gruelling American Le Mans Series opener at Sebring in a bid to secure entry to the Le Mans 24-hour race in June. Hylite, a 'sandwich sheet' comprising two thin layers of aluminium with a core of polypropylene, was developed by Corus to help car manufacturers meet the on-going need to cost-effectively reduce vehicle body weight for passenger vehicles. Offering a weight saving of 65 per cent over steel and 30 per cent over aluminium, Hylite is particularly suited to help reduce component weight in areas such as bonnet, roof, door and floor panels. Audi has already successfully used Hylite in the floor pan of the new A2. Commenting on the advantages of using Hylite in the production of Spyker's new race-going vehicle, Maarten de Bruijn, managing director, Spyker said: 'In addition to being exceptionally light, Hylite is a strong, highly bend-resistant material, which our engineers found very easy to work with. Its unique properties played a significant role in helping us to meet all our design objectives of producing lightweight yet strong panels. We are looking forward to testing the car under race conditions at Sebring's demanding 3.7mile (6km) circuit with a view to gaining entry for the Le Mans 24-hour.' Mr de Bruijn added: 'We have been equally impressed with Hylite's anti-vibration properties, which enhance vehicle refinement and build quality by significantly reducing body panel noise and harshness. The material's excellent damping characteristics led directly to our decision to use the material on all future road-going models produced at our plant in Zeewolde, the Netherlands.' Johan ter Maat, commercial manager from Corus said: 'We are delighted to be working with Spyker, sharing with them the latest material technology - we wish them every success at Sebring. Hylite demonstrates Corus's drive to provide the automotive industry with innovative material solutions to meet the growing need to reduce vehicle weight without compromising safety.' Mr ter Maat continued: 'Hylite combines the best properties of the aluminium skin and thermoplastic polymer core in a single, quality product and it offers automotive designers and engineers exciting new design opportunities.'
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