BMW getting close to production of a full carbon fiber lightweight OEM wheel

[Sticky]

BMW is taking their weight loss seriously. Let us just hope something comes of this for their actual performance cars and not just to save weight and rotational mass for the electrics and hybrids. BMW's head of lightweight construction Franz Storkenmaier is all for replacing alloy wheels with carbon wheels, “We save 25 percent in weight compared to a forged alloy wheel with the hybrid wheel and another 10 percent if it’s completely carbon.”

That is a good amount of weight savings in a very important spot. He further stated, "It’s the most important kind of weight because it’s unsprung mass and there are also rotating mass advantages. “The carbon fibre wheels are very damage resistant. They’re actually more damage resistant to kerb hits than standard alloy wheels because the damage polishes out really easily. You can scratch it when you park and it’s better to polish out than aluminium. You can have the metal finish to it with the alloy hybrid, but it’s technically a better solution to go all the way and have a full carbon fibre wheel.”

Finally the kind of product development news from BMW that BimmerBoost likes to hear. Apparently leftover carbon fiber from i3 and i8 production is being put to good use, “We have tried to use the leftover raw carbon fibre from i3 and i8 production to make carbon fibre parts, mixed with plastic. We chop up the leftover fibres and mix them all together, so it doesn’t matter where they come from or what their original job was supposed to be. After we cut them up, we mix them with plastic and this mix can be used in a regular plastic-moulding machines, but it comes out stronger and lighter than any thermoplastic. We are the very first car maker to use carbon fibre on an industrial scale. Now are we able to use the leftover from the mainstream production on an industrial scale, too.”

Something performance oriented for enthusiasts may actually come from the i3 afterall. Somewhat amusing that its leftovers are more exciting than the actual car itself.

Keep in mind carbon fiber wheels already exist. The aftermarket already has solutions so if relatively small producers can do it so can a company with BMW's resources and pocketbook.

Source

[onisyndicate]

Sweet but I can see those getting stolen ricky tick quick!

[Sticky]

Can't you say that about any nice set of rims?

[SpeedLimit?]

how about bmw getting close to production of a lightweight M car?

[onisyndicate]

how about bmw getting close to production of a lightweight M car?

That makes too much sense this is a BMW operation of course!

[Sticky]

how about bmw getting close to production of a lightweight M car?

Well the M3/M4 are a step in that direction.

[bobS]

This is great stuff! The fact that the new m3/m4 is lighter and close to the e46 m3 is a big step in the right direction. Only good stuff can come from bmw's recent obsession of losing weight anywhere they can.

[SpeedLimit?]

Let's hope they keep moving in this direction and force people to remember you don't need a ton of power to have fun when you have a light chassis and great motor...

[BigM62]

That makes too much sense this is a BMW operation of course!

Kind of like drinking a diet coke with a Big Mac.

[R.G.]

Did I miss where they stated how much these will actually weigh? 35% less than forged alloy? So what, approx. 13-14lbs for 19"? I remember reading about a considerable amount of problems with the resiliency of carbon rims. Might have been manufacturer specific, it was a while ago. Wonder if these will become a realistically priced option in future M cars.

[mjmarovi]

Hmmm i8M with a special touch of //M styling, these wheels, and a specially tuned S63TU...yes that would be sweet...it would be the..."yes we just did that to the supercar market" car

[mjmarovi]

Did I miss where they stated how much these will actually weigh? 35% less than forged alloy? So what, approx. 13-14lbs for 19"? I remember reading about a considerable amount of problems with the resiliency of carbon rims. Might have been manufacturer specific, it was a while ago. Wonder if these will become a realistically priced option in future M cars.

Last I checked I think HRE sold a set for $10k, but I may be wrong on price. Really depends on which wheels they are comparing, but I think a good portion of //M wheels are in the upper 20's, lets just say ~28lbs, making these ~18lbs. That's so sick

[Sticky]

Did I miss where they stated how much these will actually weigh? 35% less than forged alloy? So what, approx. 13-14lbs for 19"? I remember reading about a considerable amount of problems with the resiliency of carbon rims. Might have been manufacturer specific, it was a while ago. Wonder if these will become a realistically priced option in future M cars.

We don't even know if these will be used on M cars.

[Sticky]

Last I checked I think HRE sold a set for $10k, but I may be wrong on price. Really depends on which wheels they are comparing, but I think a good portion of //M wheels are in the upper 20's, lets just say ~28lbs, making these ~18lbs. That's so sick

HRE's was not full carbon.

[mjmarovi]

HRE's was not full carbon.

You're right, it wasn't, someone else's was though, but it didn't look nearly as good, I almost want to say ADV.1, but that doesn't seem right

[Sticky]

You're right, it wasn't, someone else's was though, but it didn't look nearly as good, I almost want to say ADV.1, but that doesn't seem right

The one I took pictures of maybe?

[mjmarovi]

The one I took pictures of maybe?

lol, no, it was honestly really ugly. Why? Is that one from ADV.1?

[Sticky]

No: http://www.germanboost.com/content.p...for-a-set-of-4

[R.G.]

We don't even know if these will be used on M cars.

Hence the "I wonder" part of the statement. If I were to take a guess they'll be an option on LCI M4s.

I believe I'm thinking of the same ones MJM is. Not pretty rims but were popular with a certain car manufacturers enthusiasts. Entire rim was carbon. It escapes me, but there were a lot of problems with the face of the rims deteriorating.

[Sticky]

I think I recall what you guys are talking about. I can't think of the name.

[R.G.]

I'm thinking of Dymags. Carbon/Magnesium. Stress cracks were the issues.

[Sticky]

I'm thinking of Dymags. Carbon/Magnesium. Stress cracks were the issues.

I was going to say Dymags but they were not full carbon. Yes, they had cracking issues.

[leveraged sellout]

I too remember full carbon wheels being talked about a while back by a big name...not the ones above, not Dymag...those are magnesium centers and carbon barrels. I really thought it was HRE..but I might be wrong. They were going to be super expensive and extremely limited-prod. - looks like I'll be on google for another hour :p

[Sticky]

HRE did carbon wheels although they were not full carbon. You might be thinking of those.

[Puerto Rican 335d]

wont survive Puerto Rico!! To many potholes and to many thieves jajajaja hey Im saying the truth its my island.