Casting and forging are two different processes in the wheel-making industry. Casting involves molten aluminum, a mold, and a vacuum while forging involves a solid piece of metal called a billet, heat, and pressure.
Forged wheels, therefore, are not as easy to make. They present, however, many advantages over cast wheels. Not only does forging translate to a tighter grain structure for a stronger wheel, but the manufacturing process excludes porosity, cavities, and shrinkage. They’re lighter as well, and this lightness improves the car’s rotational inertia for faster acceleration times.
As far as the mid-engine Corvette is concerned, Callaway offers 23-percent lighter wheels than the OEM units. Backed up by a three-year warranty, the nine-spoke wheels are available in five finishes from $6,490 per set. Opt for a premium finish such as Ceramic Polished, and you’re looking at $7,490.
Carbon-fiber center caps and lug nuts are included in the price, and as you can tell from the following video and photo gallery, these babies are slightly wider than the originals. Tipping the scales at 20.2 pounds (9.2 kilograms) up front and 23.6 pounds (10.7 kilograms) at the rear, these wheels measure 19 by 9.0 with an ET46 offset and 20 by 11.5 inches with an ET58 offset.
Designed specifically for the all-seasons and summer-only Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires of the eighth-generation Corvette, the Callaway wheels “have passed performance testing per TUV and ISO standards for fatigue bending, impact, and rolling performance with exceptional results.” That is reassuring for prospective customers, make no mistake about it, but don’t forget how much the American specialty vehicle manufacturer is asking for a set of four.
$6,490 is more than a tenth of the retail price of the 2021 Chevrolet Corvette, which starts at $59,995 including destination charge for the coupe with the 1LT equipment group. The convertible option adds $7,500 to the tally, and the Z51 Performance Package costs $995 more than last year at $5,995.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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