BLOG POST 4 – Which car materials are considered the best/most valuable? – Subcategory 2

Hello everyone and welcome back to my blog. Today I will be researching my second subcategory to my essential question: What defines a car as “a good car?” I will be researching the most valuable/best materials to have in the interior and exterior of vehicles that give them a higher value.

All cars are similar in the way that they use raw materials in their manufacturing. Some of the most common raw materials used in cars include steel, which is used in manufacturing door panels, the chassis of the car, the support beams, in exhaust pipes and mufflers in the car. Plastics constitute almost half of the total car parts, being the main component in manufacturing the dashboard, door handles, pipes, and air vents. The wheels are made of aluminum, the engine mounts, hoses seals wiper blades, and belts are made of rubber, and glass is used in navigation screens, back-up camera lenses, and mirrors in your car. More raw materials include fiberglass, lead, copper, titanium, and magnesium. [1] Additionally, raw material prices rose 83% in 2021 alone which leads to more expensive cars. From this we can deduct that more expensive cars are made from more expensive raw materials. [2]

So which materials make cars more expensive than others? Luxury car manufacturers strive to make their cars unique and stand out, which leads them to use many expensive raw materials in cars such as titanium, gold, silver, and rhodium. Titanium is used in certain high-end car parts, most commonly sports exhaust systems. Titanium is the strongest metal in relation to its density so it is used to minimize the weight of their supercars. It is approximately  $6,610 (£5,400) per kilo. Gold is one of the best electrical conductors known, so it is used in connectors, switch and relay contacts, and for soldering metal joints. Gold is approximately $39.81 (£32.54) per gram, or £32,540 per kilo. Silver is an important component in the heating element to clear cars’ rear – and sometimes front – windscreen, Silver is approximately 46.5p per gram. Rhodium is used in three-way catalytic converters to reduce a car’s carbon emissions and many car manufacturers use cheaper alternatives, rhodium is approximately $45 (£36.78) per gram or $1,270 (£1,038) per ounce.[3] It is important to note however, that silver and gold can be used in some luxury high-end cars to enhance the appearance of the car as well.

Other materials used in luxury cars that attribute to its price include leather, carbon fiber, and alcantara. Leather is a soft and top quality material used for the seats and interior of luxury cars. It is expensive, but it brings the high-end quality to luxury cars that make them more comfortable and elegant. Carbon fiber is used mainly in high-performance luxury car as it reduces the overall weight of the vehicle and enhances its agility and fuel efficiency. Alcantara is also a material used for the interior of luxury cars because of its soft and plush feel as well as its resistance to wear and tear. [4] Cars that are made from carbon fiber include the Bugatti W16 Mistral, Pininfarina Battista, and Aston Martin Valkyrie. [5]

That’s all, thank you for reading my blog!

1. https://maycointernational.com/blog/what-are-cars-made-of/
2. https://www.autotrader.com/archive/more-expensive-raw-materials-means-car-prices-keep-climbing
3. https://mycarneedsa.com/blog/what-weird-materials-make-cars-so-expensive
4. https://lvcexotics.com/what-unique-materials-are-used-in-making-luxury-cars/
5. https://www.opumo.com/magazine/best-carbon-fibre-cars/