he science of “lightweighting,” reducing the mass of components to meet ever more stringent emissions standards, has been at the forefront of the trends embraced by the global automotive industry. With vehicle weight accounting for three-quarters of fuel consumption, engineers have a huge incentive to replace steel with lighter metals or switch over to plastics and composites. Every bit counts: BASF’s carbon fiber grille opening reinforcement on the 2016 Ford Shelby GT350 Mustang saved
