Molded and shaped acoustical insulating vehicle panel and method of making the same

A molded and shaped acoustical insulating vehicle panel, comprising:

• a nonwoven fibrous composite having a first portion of greater than 60 to 80 percent meltable binder fibers and less than 40 percent to 20 percent staple fibers, and having a second portion of about 20 to 50 percent meltable binder fibers and 50 to 80 percent staple fibers;
• the composite having fibers from the first portion extending into the second portion and providing a high bond strength after molding between the first portion and the second portion to prevent peeling of the first portion from the second portion;
• and
• a substantially continuous, semi-impervious, densified skin comprising resolidified binder fibers of the first portion and being integrally associated with and bonded to a surface of the first portion, wherein the densified skin is about 5 to about 20 percent of an overall thickness of the molded and shaped acoustical insulating vehicle panel, and
• wherein the molded and shaped acoustical insulating vehicle panel has a density of from about 12 to 22 lbs/cubic foot (192 to 352 kg/cubic meter) over a predominance of an area defining the molded and shaped acoustical insulating vehicle panel, and the molded and shaped acoustical insulating vehicle panel is sufficiently rigid so as to be self-supporting.