This MuCell process has been around for a very long time. Conceptually its similar to foamed plastic, basically bubble infused within a plastic polymer. The major difference is that with MuCell you have incredibly small bubbles compared to foam.

Obviously you'll have reduced density, and an weaker plastic. It really depends on the application but in general plastics aren't major load bearing components of automotive parts, and where there are you can adjust the amount of plastic a component uses in many different ways.

We should keep in mind that Ford isn't the only company using MuCell, many major injection molding machinery has MuCell techniques (Engel, Nissei, Mitsubishi, etc). So we should be seeing this technology in more than just Fords.

In fact, I believe there are several car components that MuCell plastics are widely used; side mirrors, door handles, plastic body parts, etc.

Its simple barratry. These lawyers are called "Ambulance chasers" for a reason.

There are a lot of good lawyers in the US, but may of these bottom feeding lawyers make a good living 'chasing ambulances'. Showing up at a scene of an accident now is illegal in most states nowadays, but most of these lawyers have moved on to greener pastures with deeper pockets. This unintended acceleration lawsuit is just one example of it.

The owner of the tC likely got solicited by a lawyer looking to sue Toyota. With a deal that if they won they would get half (or more) of the settlement or damages. For the lawyers its a large operation, they spread a large net, diversified lawsuits where a certain percentage will likely result in a substantial payday.

@Bloke

From the article:
"color-coated spray painting that indicates whether the vehicle has a body in it that needs to be removed; a grim reminder of just how tragic this natural disaster was."

Detroit automotive "journalist" I guess. Serves him right for criticizing a native automotive company.

I guess your own beliefs aren't worth standing up for.

That's not why the Germans are leaving. If you follow German media's handling of the issue it has nothing to do with any humanitarian issue involving Japan and more to do with fleeing what they see to be a radiological threat. There is quite simply nuclear fear mongering happening in Germany, a lot of it at the expense of Merkel.

Not a bad word, but you can't say it here (on Autoblog, or any of the other AOL sites)

I miss Bangle :(

...I never thought I would be saying that...

They've already showed a Boxer turbo from the in the thing in the G'z version.

The goal for the base model should hopefully be in low-mid 20s, and the turbo in the mid-high 20s.

So we have the McLaren MP4, Toyota GT1, Alpine Renault A110, Redbull RB5, Williams FW14, etc. All race vehicles.

That fire truck doesn't really fit in...

In fairness to LaHood (though I'm not a fan of his) the report did blame driver error. "Pedal misapplication" as the report calls it. He even had a lot bad things to say to lawyers suing Toyota over SUA. The fact is that many in the media just covered it like they covered the Audi SUA case.

MSNBC had a commentary on the fear mongering used in this Toyota recall case:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41537165/ns/business-bloomberg_businessweek/

From The Detroit News:

"Give me a break," LaHood said.
NASA engineers reviewed 280,000 lines of software code in Toyotas, and bombarded Toyota vehicles with electromagnetic radiation at a Chrysler facility in Auburn Hills as part of their 10-month investigation.

"We did a very thorough report. NASA did a very thorough report, and for people to take cheap pot shots is ridiculous," LaHood said."

http://detnews.com/article/20110209/AUTO01/102090437/Transportation-Secretary-LaHood-defends-Toyota-findings#ixzz1EiZLdbEF