Although there are many metals and alloys available, just a few metals make up a majority of what is found in a vehicle.
Any combination of metals melted together uniformly is considered an alloy. They are often created to have the qualities of two metals (but they are chemically more complex than that; not all qualities can be kept) or to reduce costs. A common example of an alloy is steel.
This metal is very light, but not as strong as steel. It is often used in sports car bodies, wheels, and other similar components.
This soft metal is very conductive, and has gone up in price considerably over the years.
Iridium is a rare metal used in small amounts on the tip of high performance and/or long life spark plugs.
This metal is strong on its own, but is even stronger when combined with other metals to make steel.
Lead is a very soft metal found in some batteries (the lead-acid type) and on some electrical connections, such as the battery terminals and the main wire leading to the starter.
Platinum is a semi-rare metal used in small amounts on the tip of spark plugs.
Steel is a strong metal made from other metals like iron. It is very common in modern automobiles.
Titanium is rare to find in its elemental form, but it is lighter than aluminum and its alloys are stronger than steel, which in itself makes it a very valuable metal.