2014 Cadillac CTS Aluminum Door-in-White Structure

摘要

As automakers pursue lightweighting of vehicles for increased fuel economy and CO emissions requirements, the use of aluminum door systems is becoming more prevalent in the automotive industry and the luxury sedan market in particular. The 2014 Cadillac CTS marks the first application of aluminum door systems for General Motors, yielding a mass savings of approximately 25 kg from its predecessor and approximately 18 kg from the most mass efficient steel doors in the industry when adjusted for size. While focused on mass, it was also imperative to not compromise product performance. This paper outlines the door-in-white development and describes how both mass efficiency and product performance were achieved to produce a world class lightweight door system.