Briggs Automotive Company has claimed a world first by making use of a revolutionary new substance called graphene.

Graphene is made from sheets of carbon just one atom thick. It’s lighter and stronger than carbon fibre, which BAC says could mean weight reductions of up to 20% – a figure that could have significant impacts on performance, fuel economy and cost.

BAC has worked with Haydale Composite Solutions on the trial, which used graphene-enhanced carbon fibre, and decided to focus on the rear arches because of their size and complexity, which allowed the material and manufacturing process to be thoroughly tested.