The recently unveiled BMW M Concept Neue Klasse features performance composite components made from a custom weave of Bcomp Ltd’s AmpliTex material technology. Unlike many conventional performance automotive composites, the material, designed and engineered in Switzerland, is woven from flax fibers—a renewable base material that does not compete with food crops.

The Swiss sustainable materials company says its collaboration with BMW Group is a testament to the successful industrialization of natural-fiber composites for exterior aesthetic applications in high-performance production cars, and it shows how Bcomp’s materials can become an integral part of a vehicle’s design language.

“Natural fibers do not pretend to copy carbon fiber composites; they are distinctive and unique,” said Christian Fischer, CEO and Co-founder at Bcomp. “Supplying our AmpliTex reinforcement materials for the BMW M Concept Neue Klasse is proof that we have challenged the status quo and conclusively demonstrated the viability of our sustainable composite technologies in both structural and aesthetic high-performance automotive applications. We eagerly anticipate seeing future road-going vehicles featuring our natural-fiber composite solutions.”

The concept car features extensive use of AmpliTex for both interior and exterior components, most notably the visible fiber-composite roof developed with BMW M. For the exterior, the material is also used for the front splitter, hood air outlet, side skirts, mirror caps, and rear diffuser. On the interior, the material was used for the back of the four bucket seats as a structural element.

Bcomp’s natural fiber is not only used in its pure form, but also, for the first time, in a refined form with M branding in the roof graphic.

Said to offer a high stiffness-to-weight ratio, safer crash behavior than carbon fiber, exceptional vibration damping, and full radio transparency, AmpliTex has been used extensively in motorsport, including applications in Formula 1, Formula E, Super Formula, GT racing, motorcycle racing, and rallying.

Compared to carbon fiber, it reduces cradle-to-gate CO2 emissions by up to 85%. Once parts have reached the end of their service life, they can also be disposed of—via standard waste-to-energy powerplants—using an environmentally friendly process to capture energy that can be repurposed, further reducing the net environmental impact.

The M Concept Neue Klasse represents the first public unveiling of a car with components made through a partnership announced in June 2025 on the extensive use of Bcomp’s AmpliTex in exteriors and interiors of BMW Group series production road cars. In January, the collaboration won first prize in the “Automotive & Road Transportation – Parts” category at the 2026 JEC Composites Innovation Awards.

“After years of development and rigorous validation, AmpliTex natural fiber composites are now integrated into BMW’s series manufacturing lines for both exterior and interior applications,” said Fischer of the award. “This milestone marks the largest real-world application of high-performance renewable composites in the automotive industry; it demonstrates that natural-fiber composites are ready for large-scale premium automotive applications.”

BMW M Motorsport first introduced renewable reinforcements in 2019 through its Formula E program using Bcomp’s AmpliTex and PowerRibs. Building on racetrack learnings, BMW Group and Bcomp researched, validated, and industrialized the natural fiber composites for series production. The collaboration tackled one of the industry’s biggest engineering challenges—passing ageing, quality, and capacity requirements of large-scale exterior automotive parts with natural fibers.

After multiple years of joint development, Bcomp’s technologies make it possible to replace parts traditionally made with carbon fiber. One key example is the exchange of carbon-fiber composites with Bcomp’s natural-fiber composites for the next-generation BMW production car roof, collaborating with partners Cobra Advanced Composites Co. Ltd. and PPG Wörwag Coatings GmbH & Co. KG.

According to BMW, the use of natural fibers helps to reduce the CO₂e footprint of future vehicle models and has an impact on lightweight construction goals. The development led to a CO₂e reduction of around 40% in production plus additional end-of-life considerations.

“At BMW Group, we are committed to thinking and acting responsibly,” said Herbert Negele, Head of Materials Development and Lightweight Construction, emphasizing the importance of BMW Group’s collaborative approach. “This premise requires the continuous development of our materials towards sustainability, while continuing to meet the high demands of functionality, lightweight construction, and design. The JEC Award confirms our approach and motivates everyone involved in the project to continue along this path.”

To make natural fiber composites viable for automotive parts, Bcomp engineered automotive-grade, high-performance natural-fiber roving designed specifically to replace carbon fiber in large-scale exterior and interior automotive applications. Working with BMW Group’s design team, Bcomp created a custom color and weave pattern to create a distinctive natural fiber identity aligned with BMW Group’s brand aesthetic. The team tested more than 100 material iterations until a solution was robust enough to pass all automotive exterior requirements.

Scalability and industrial integration into existing production processes are also a crucial part of the innovation. To meet large-scale demand and BMW Group’s exacting production standards, Bcomp built a new manufacturing facility. Its already planned expansion will ensure manufacturers have access to a reliable, scalable supply chain for sustainable composites.

The materials are designed to integrate seamlessly into multiple existing manufacturing processes at scale. For instance, the roof will be made using a fully automated RTM (resin transfer molding) process, which makes production fast and consistent.