Half a croissant, on a plate, with a sign in front of it saying '50c'
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Car-apace

Vehicle exteriors composed of a self-regenerating insect-like shell
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Instead of using fiberglass and metal, bio-engineering and vehicular engineering design could be fused to produce a lovely, aerodynamic, iridescent car body made up of strong-but-light chitinous-like material. A carbon-fiber web-structure would form the underpinning, and guide the growth of the chitin material, which would molt and self-renew through the seasons. Dents would self-repair. A nutrient substance could be applied in place of wax, or with a sufficiently sophisticated feeding system built into the webbing, just dumped into a hopper to be distributed to the underside of the shell by capillary action.

Bonuses could include gull-wing doors that, under certain aerodynamic conditions, do that low-level buzzing that some insect wings do. Bugs which splash across the windshield and front of the car could conceivably be absorbed into the chitin system and recycled.

Soterios, Mar 08 2005

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       The Volkswagen New New Beetle.
bristolz, Mar 08 2005
  

       I want the anti-road-rage Bombardier Beetle.
AbsintheWithoutLeave, Mar 08 2005
  

       Just so long as it doesn't hurt anyones feelers.   

       I'll be nice and avoid posting the Kaf-kar as a full out suggestion, which would replace the wheels with giant skittering articulated bug legs, which would probably make a great ATV. Not sure if Desert Fox will be able to contain himself, though.
Soterios, Mar 08 2005
  

       nice title [Soterios], I often think more should be donw with the chitinous exoskeleton.
neilp, Mar 08 2005
  

       In high speed police chases these new cars would fall prey to Helicopters with giant fly swatters.
MrDaliLlama, Mar 09 2005
  
      
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