Written by Christopher Mount, Assistant Curator, Department of Architecture and Design
			The key to making automobiles more gas efficient is to make them lighter and provide them with a less wasteful engine. A large car is not always best suited for its purported function. Somewhere between only two and five percent of the energy used to power a large car is actually employed to move the passengers; the other ninety-five to ninety-eight percent is used to simply move the car itself. This can be remedied without much suffering on the behalf of the consumer.   Therefore, much of the current development focuses on new materials that can replace the steel parts, including strong composite plastics, aluminum, magnesium, ceramics, and even carbon composites. Ironically much of the initial research into use of these substances was pioneered in automotive racing where weight reduction is in direct proportion to higher speeds. These investigations into new materials and structures of course will eventually lead to new kinds of styling and ultimately new aesthetic solutions.   In ordinary cars cutting weight of the vehicle does not always mean cutting size. Many of the cars in this exhibition–the Ford Ka, the Fiat Multipla, the Smart Car, and the DaimlerChrysler CCV–have small exterior dimensions but afford relatively large interior space for passengers. One of the ways this has been achieved is through the development of new skeletal, or space, frames. The space frame is important because it generates greater strength and stability, and also makes these cars safer–an important concern for consumers when purchasing a small car.   Although the laws of physics are undeniable–the larger the car, the more it weighs, the more closely it resembles a military tank, and the safer it will be–because of new developments, these autos are far safer than the compact cars of the past. Several of these cars feature multiple air bags The Multipla and the Smart even have ingenious engine placements that permit the motor and drivetrain, placed underneath the passenger, to absorb much of the impact in a crash. In Europe and Asia, where most vehicles are small, the differential in an accident is less of a problem, and many believe the added agility of a small car reduces the risk of accidents in the first place.

© 1999  The Museum of Modern Art, New York