en.Wedoany.com Reported - BMW M GmbH, a subsidiary of the BMW Group, in collaboration with Swiss composites company Bcomp, has developed flax fiber composite components used in the BMW M Concept Neue Klasse. The vehicle features Bcomp's ampliTex woven flax fiber composites both externally and internally. The partnership, announced in 2025, has earned them the 2026 JEC World Innovation Award.
The concept car utilizes ampliTex material in multiple interior and exterior components, most notably the roof, which features a custom weave and color developed and co-designed specifically for BMW M. External applications include the roof, front splitter, engine hood vents, side skirts, mirror caps, and rear diffuser. Internally, ampliTex is used as a structural element on the backs of four newly developed bucket seats. According to Bcomp, the natural fiber is used not only in its pure form but also for the first time in a refined form featuring the M brand logo in the roof pattern.
Bcomp states that ampliTex offers a high stiffness-to-weight ratio, superior crash safety compared to carbon fiber, excellent vibration damping properties, and complete radio transparency. As a renewable raw material, flax fiber does not compete with food crops and is reported to generate up to 85% less CO2 emissions from cradle to gate compared to carbon fiber. Additionally, components can be processed at the end of their life cycle in standard waste-to-energy plants, capturing reusable energy in an environmentally friendly process, further reducing environmental impact.
AmpliTex is already widely used in motorsports, including Formula 1, Formula E, Super Formula, GT racing, motorcycle racing, and rallying. At the 2026 JEC World exhibition, a BMW prototype equipped with a flax fiber composite roof was showcased.
Christian Fischer, CEO of Bcomp, stated that natural fibers are not an imitation of carbon fiber composites but possess unique and distinctive properties. Providing ampliTex reinforcement for the BMW M Concept Neue Klasse demonstrates the feasibility of natural fiber composite technology in high-performance automotive applications, both structurally and aesthetically. The company looks forward to more production road vehicles adopting this natural fiber composite solution in the future.
