Porsche has announced the introduction of a new lightweight braided carbon fiber wheel for the Porsche 911 Turbo S. The new wheels are around 19 pounds less than standard alloy wheels, which is a reduction of 20 percent.
Porsche also says that the new braided carbon fiber wheels are also 20 percent stronger. The new wheels are made entirely from carbon fiber reinforced polymer and comprised of two components. The wheel center is made from carbon-fiber fabric, which involves cutting and assembling over 200 individual components. The second component is the rim base made from braided carbon fiber. Porsche is the first company to use the complex technology.
In addition to being lighter, the braiding technology offers key advantages over the more conventional method of manufacturing pre-impregnated carbon-fiber fabric: This production technique makes the material structure of the carbon considerably denser and more compact – increasing rigidity. Using the material more efficiently also produces less waste.
The new carbon wheels will be available as an option for the 911 Turbo S Exclusive Series. A set of these new wheels cost a whopping $18,000.
Source: Porsche
