Soft Skinned Cars

The biggest reason they stopped using plastic body panels is they could not meet customer expectations for panel gaps because of the higher thermal expansion rate.

Saturn -- that was my first thought when I read the question. However, having seen my late mother-in-law's Saturn after she drove it for a few years I have to question the body's resiliency. Even though she never drove fast she managed to put some impressive dents on all four sides.

Does anyone know what specific material(s) Saturn used for its auto bodies?

"Saturns used Pulse alloy for the door skins, and GTX for the quarter panels. Pulse, sold by Dow Plastics, was a blend of polycarbonate and ABS (PC/ABS). GTX was a blend of polyphenylene oxide and polyamide (PPO/PA) by GE Plastics (now Sabic Innovative Plastics)." - (Source)

Thanks! Interesting that GE made the plastic. I wonder if a Saturn would pass a crash test these days. Anyone who has seen a crumpled car -- where the car absorbed most of the energy from a crash -- wouldn't want to give up that kind of protection.

As you probably recall, cars used to have "bumpers" for that purpose.

Simples. Buy a Trabant. ����‍♂️

Now were talking!

Can it pull a 21 foot boat?

Thanks,but I was looking for one for pulling a bunch of skiers:

Like these:

"Ding-free plastic puts dent in wallet"

"A. Sorry, it ain't gonna happen because producing a car with dent- and ding-resistant plastic, or polymer, is more expensive than producing one with metal body panels.

And polymer body panels are more difficult than metal panels when it comes to fit and finish--such as ensuring the gap at the top of the door opening or deck lid is the same as at the bottom.

Then there's the problem of matching paint color on the polymer panels with that on the metal panels. Saturn roofs, for example, are metal and not polymer.

Great idea, but too costly to adopt. And, yes, cars without bodyside moldings look very clean and uncluttered, but beg for dents and dings that clutter those doors with pock marks."....

https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-2004-02-22-0402220010-story.html

Cost may be the determining factor.

Another problem is how to paint soft rubber parts. They will require painting because no matter how you might try, batch to batch color variations are a reality in all molded parts. (Most, if not all, molded plastic is painted for appearance sake)

Thermal expansion and contraction may be an issue as well as brittleness at sub-zero temperatures.

I don't remember putting any dents in my Vette over 30 years of driving it.

That's because you take good care of your nice things .

An important point that has not been addressed is the "Allowing bumping into each other"

What could possibly go wrong there? I picture a demolition derby segue to brawling

I bumped into a Saturn one day. Thought I had done terrible damage to the bumper only to watch it retake its original shape within seconds. I was amazed and thought I had imagined the whole thing. Thank goodness my insurance agent didn't witness the incident.