Types of Car Bumpers

Modern bumpers are designed to improve performance and safety.Driendl Group/Photodisc/Getty Images

Car bumpers have seen a huge amount of modification over the years as our understanding of materials and safety has improved. Modern bumpers are designed to improve aerodynamics, and so the performance of the car, and to protect the people inside the car from crashes and those people who may be hit by a car while crossing a road. Despite all these advances, there is still no consensus on the best kind of bumper.

Plastic

Most modern cars use a reinforced thermoplastic bumper, as they are cheap to manufacture, easy to fit and absorb more energy during a crash. A majority of car bumpers are custom made for a specific model, so if you are looking to replace a cracked bumper with a similar one, you would have to buy from a specialist dealer. However, many companies now offer alternative designs in thermoplastic, with a range of fittings designed for different models.

Carbon fiber body work is normally the thing of super-cars, but many car companies, and specialist modifiers, are starting to use it for replacement body part on everyday cars. This is because it is very light and is safe during a crash. It is, however, a lot more expensive than normal thermoplastic.

Modified cars often now have a full body kit rather than just a front and rear bumper. These kits act as a skirt around the entire body of the car and improve performance by reducing the amount of air flowing underneath the car and so reducing drag. Due to each car's specifications, these have to be specially purchased and can be made from thermoplastic, like a standard bumper, or even out of carbon fiber.

Originally plated steel was used for the entire body of a car, including the bumper. This material worked well, as it was very strong in a crash, but it was very heavy and dented performance. As car engine design has improved, steel bumpers have pretty much disappeared for anything except classic cars. Replacing one involves a lot of searching for scrap cars or having one specially made.