CarZi

Renault has launched a limited edition of its Mégane R26 sports car with polycarbonate (clear plastic) rear and side windows! Honda currently uses polycarbonate (PC) for the lower portion of the rear window in its Euro version of the Civic and most automakers are currently only using PC on their concept cars.

In North America PC has yet to fully transition the auto market due to its higher than glass cost on a part for part basis. The only NA car which currently employs PC can be found on some models of the Chevy Corvette in their panoramic roof system. However tougher fuel economy standards will have automakers searching for ways to shed pounds of of their upcoming cars and I guarantee you we will see PC windows in the market within the next few years.

Smart reduced the weight of its roof module by 12.1 pounds just by switching to the PC module! Don’t think a weight savings of 12 lbs on a small car is worth it? Consider reducing 26 pounds of a mid size fleet vehicle which boosts fuel economy by nearly 1/3 of a PERCENT. Sounds like nothing, I aggree, but for a company ith a fleet of 250,000 vehicles driving only 10,000 miles a year that would save 516,000 gallons of fuel. More miles more $$ savings.

On June 23, 2008 the Renault Mégane performed a lap record time of 8 minutes 17 seconds around the famous Nürburgring circuit, in Nürburg, Germany – the fastest ever for a front-wheel drive production car.

Creating the distinctive plastic (polycarbonate) windows envisioned for the Mégane sports car was a challenge in several respects. The polycarbonate glazing had to equal the optical quality of glass while also surpassing glass in design freedom and weight savings.

Contours of the racing track and the record lap time are printed on the left and right rear quarter windows of the Mégane R26.

[Source: Sabic-ip.com, Plastics News]