German luxury automaker Audi has announced a partnership with carbon-fiber producer Voith, following in the footsteps of its rivals BMW and Mercedes-Benz.

In recent months, BMW and Mercedes have both announced new manufacturing deals with SGL and Toray, respectively. SGL, Toray and Voith all make carbon fiber, an extremely lightweight yet sturdy material that many believe will be the future of automobile construction.

Many drivers want the best of both worlds – increased performance and fuel economy – but bigger engines mean less miles per gallon. One way to address both is to make vehicles lighter, and that's where carbon fiber comes in. The main drawback is that the material is much more expensive than typical sheet metal at this time, which is why it's usually only seen on high-end supercars.

However, the three German automakers jumping onboard with the material manufacturers seems to indicate that they see a future in mass producing carbon fiber. Audi already uses some carbon fiber parts in the R8, and BMW is building its strategy around the material with the new Megacity electric vehicle.

Extensive use of carbon fiber will likely cause a vehicle's price to go up. Those interested in a luxury car that won't break the bank may want to seek out a used auto at New Jersey State Auto Auction.