Not too long ago Mercedes-Benz announced they would be making a carbon-fiber derivative of the next E-Class sedan, and now BMW has also announced it will use the material in its future models.

The BMW 7-Series luxury car will use carbon fiber and other light-weight materials, to reduce weight in a class where cars are often 4,400 pounds or more.

According to Autocar, BMW research and development chief Klaus Draeger confirmed the luxury car will reduce weight by using carbon fiber construction, alongside high-strength steels and aluminum. Parts like the roof, hood and trunk lid are likely to be made from the material.

That's not as extensive as its use in the 2014 BMW i3 electric car and 2014 BMW i8 plug-in hybrid sports car, which both use a carbon-composite chassis to offset the extra weight of their batteries.

German rival Mercedes-Benz is also looking towards carbon fiber in some future models, including the E-Class "Superlight", a range-topping model that could undercut the regular model by 770 pounds.

The part-carbon 7-Series is expected to follow the 2014 i3 and i8, launching in 2015 - around the same time as the Mercedes-Benz E Superlight.

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