Gordon Murray Design to licence iStream lightweight seat
- Transcal will licence GMD seat, which weighs 30% less than standard unit
- Automotive OEM and bespoke projects are new seat targets for Transcal
- Weight saving, elegant design and scalability core to Transcal decision
Gordon Murray Design has entered a technology licencing agreement with Transcal Limited to manufacture the iStream® lightweight automotive seat. The new agreement will cover the current seat design, codenamed IS-001. This innovative unit boasts a significant 30% weight saving when compared to a conventional modern seat.
The IS-001 seat licensed by Transcal, a leading automotive supplier of innovative interiors since 1980, will be the world’s first implementation of the iStream lightweight seat. Gordon Murray Design is exploring further automotive and non-automotive designs and applications for the seat.
Transcal, with the support of Gordon Murray Design, plans to release the seat for volume production in the first quarter of 2020. Fully-trimmed units will be available for OEM production and also to custom builders for bespoke applications.
Professor Gordon Murray CBE, Chairman of Gordon Murray Design, said: “We welcome the opportunity to work with Transcal, a business that shares our focus on a more efficient future for the automotive sector and pushing boundaries at every opportunity. The iStream lightweight automotive seat represents a seismic shift in this sector – its innovative construction helps to deliver both economic and environmental benefits.”
The iStream lightweight seat will be on display later this year at:
- Cenex Low Carbon Vehicle event – UK: 4-5 September 2019 (to be confirmed)
- IAA Frankfurt – Germany: 10-15 September 2019
- SEMA – Las Vegas, US: 5-8 November 2019
iStream lightweight seat
The iStream lightweight seat is the product of a research-based project, part-funded through the Innovate UK framework – the Manufacturability of Advanced Passenger Seats (MAPS) – with the objective to develop lightweight automotive seat structures and production methods.
The newly-developed seat can be modified to suit all types of vehicle. Its advanced composite panels and tubular frame construction dramatically reduces structural weight, while maintaining the high-volume, low-cost benefits of Gordon Murray Design’s original iStream technology.
Key advantages of the iStream lightweight seat include:
- Lightweight composite structure (sub 12kg)
- 30% weight saving vs conventional modern seat
- Suitable for high- and low-volume applications
- Ultra-low tooling and development costs
- Simple, high-speed assembly
- Low part count
- Competitive piece cost
- Satisfies all applicable European automotive requirements (UN ECE), including luggage retention requirements
- Can achieve low seating position
- Anti-submarining design
- Full four-way adjustment
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About Gordon Murray Design
Gordon Murray Design is a visionary design and engineering company with its headquarters in Shalford in Surrey. It was established in 2007 with a focus on developing an innovative and disruptive manufacturing technology trademarked iStream®, and has since built a global reputation as one of the finest automotive design teams in the world.
The company’s unique approach and truly creative thinking enables Gordon Murray Design to deliver complete car programmes in a highly efficient and innovative way from concept and design, through to prototype and development for production.
About iStream
Rather than the traditional method of combining hundreds of panels of stamped metal, iStream uses tubular metal with 10 – 15 structural composite panels. iStream Superlight® is the ultimate automotive lightweighting technology as it maximises the iStream approach by using cored honeycomb carbon fibre composite and an aluminium frame to save almost 50% in weight against a standard stamped metal chassis.
iStream is an acronym for iS = Stabilised; T = Tube; R = Reinforced; E = Exo-frame; A = Advanced; M = Manufacturing.
About Transcal
Since 1980, Transcal has approached every project with a unique creativity and the objective of creating something truly brilliant. As a leader in innovative and inspiring interiors, we continuously evolve and grow in every way possible with limitless vision. From a bespoke project to several thousand beautifully created cars of a specific model, Transcal has an unrivalled skill and thirst for innovation.Providing inspired interiors that customers find irresistible is in the DNA of Transcal, and any other project is welcomed – regardless of size.For more information, please visit www.transcal.co.uk.
PR contact
For more information, or to request an interview, please contact:
Sarah Smith, Communications Officer at Gordon Murray Design on +44 (0)1483 484700 or sarah.smith@gordonmurraydesign.com.
Sales enquiries
For sales enquiries, please contact:
Dawn Hornby at Transcal on +44(0)1506 440111 or info@transcal.co.uk