Previously available as an aftermarket option on some of the most expensive supercars out there, carbon fiber wheels are starting to appear on more earthly creations.
Following Ford Motor Company’s announcement to offer carbon fiber wheels on the 2015 Mustang Shelby GT350R and on the Ford GT, General Motors has a similar task in mind and the company’s bosses are looking at their performance cars to do so, according to Autoblog.
Likely candidates for carbon fiber rims are Cadillac’s V-Series models, as the GM light polymer engineer, William Rodgers, said, but the Chevrolet Corvette and Camaro would also be considered. Australian company Carbon Revolution, the same to supply carbon fiber wheels for Ford’s vehicles, is expected to be selected by GM.
Tests are currently being conducted to see how the wheels handle general wear-and-tear and potholes, while the automaker is also analyzing repair costs, though the most plausible scenario would be replacing a damaged wheel.
Adopting optional carbon fiber rims on their performance cars would reduce weight by approximately 35 pounds (16 kg) per vehicle and would also improve driving dynamics, as GM says. An exact timeline for when we might see the new optional equipment fitted to one of GM’s cars wasn’t announced.
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