Photo: BAC / Dymag
Briggs Automotive Company, the British automaker behind the Mono single-seat sports car, has something in store for those attending the Goodwood Festival of Speed. That something is carbon fiber wheels, the newest trend in the automotive world.
As I’m sure gearheads are already aware of, the first mass-produced carbon fiber wheels made their debut with the advent of the Ford Mustang Shelby GT350R, a $63,095 track-focused brawler. Replacement wheels for the GT350R cost $3,433 for each of the fronts and $4,053 for each of the rears, which is a lot when you think about the fact that curbs and potholes exist.
The carbon composite wheels developed by BAC and Dymag, however, are less expensive. £9,950 or $14,685 at current exchange rates is just about the same amount of money Ford wants for a Fiesta. Still, upgrading the BAC Mono to carbon composite wheels will pay dividend in handling and performance.
The spokes of the wheels, the parts where stiffness is crucial, are made from a solid billet of aluminum. However, the wheels are secured to the single-seater sports car with five pairs of titanium bolts.
Each bolt tips the scales at 30.2 grams, amounting to a 212.5-gram saving per wheel. BAC and Dymag further explain that the total weight saving on the front axle of the Mono is 23.5 percent, where the 7.5-inch by 17-inch carbon composite wheels weigh 5.7 kilograms (12.5 pounds) each. The 9-inch by 17-inch carbon composite rear wheels each weigh 6.0 kilograms (13.2 pounds). Despite being half an inch wider than the regular rims, these babies amount to an overall 22.9 percent reduction in weight on the rear axle.
Chris Shelley, the chief executive office of Dymag, is pretty excited about what the future holds: “This is the first of a new generation of carbon wheels for Dymag and the first product to be developed with the National Composites Centre, Bristol, through the £7.1m Advanced Manufacturing Supply Chain Initiative funding secured by Dymag to produce next generation durable, lightweight carbon composite automotive and motorcycle wheels.”
The carbon composite wheels developed by BAC and Dymag, however, are less expensive. £9,950 or $14,685 at current exchange rates is just about the same amount of money Ford wants for a Fiesta. Still, upgrading the BAC Mono to carbon composite wheels will pay dividend in handling and performance.
The spokes of the wheels, the parts where stiffness is crucial, are made from a solid billet of aluminum. However, the wheels are secured to the single-seater sports car with five pairs of titanium bolts.
Each bolt tips the scales at 30.2 grams, amounting to a 212.5-gram saving per wheel. BAC and Dymag further explain that the total weight saving on the front axle of the Mono is 23.5 percent, where the 7.5-inch by 17-inch carbon composite wheels weigh 5.7 kilograms (12.5 pounds) each. The 9-inch by 17-inch carbon composite rear wheels each weigh 6.0 kilograms (13.2 pounds). Despite being half an inch wider than the regular rims, these babies amount to an overall 22.9 percent reduction in weight on the rear axle.
Chris Shelley, the chief executive office of Dymag, is pretty excited about what the future holds: “This is the first of a new generation of carbon wheels for Dymag and the first product to be developed with the National Composites Centre, Bristol, through the £7.1m Advanced Manufacturing Supply Chain Initiative funding secured by Dymag to produce next generation durable, lightweight carbon composite automotive and motorcycle wheels.”
Google News