New Range of Super Light Alloy Wheels Launched in the UK

Solomon Alsberg has launched a new range of “Eco Super Light” forged alloy wheels in the UK and says it is looking for distribution partners in the UK and other European countries. According to the company, which makes its wheels from forged blanks supplied by Alcoa, the wheels are designed to improve handling, acceleration times and emissions.

The launch follows a three-year period of testing and development that saw the premium wheel specialist optimise its design and manufacturing techniques to produce a strong, stylish and highly durable wheel that weighs up to 35 per cent less than its cast counterparts. The result is a considerable reduction in the vehicle’s unsprung weight, which is said to improve steering feel, add faster acceleration and reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by over 10 per cent in stop-go driving conditions.

“We’re delighted to be launching such high technology wheels in the UK aftermarket,” Aleksandr Aksentyev, manager, Solomon Alsberg explained. “In designing a super light wheel we sought to boost vehicle performance while also recognising the need to reduce CO2 emissions and help improve fuel economy. It’s very much a twenty-first century product design: efficient and environmentally conscious.”

Independent testing conducted by leading German specialist TUV on a German premium saloon revealed that when running on Solomon Alsberg Eco Super Light wheels, the minimum weight saving per wheel was 3.7 kg compared to the lightest cast equivalent. Two different sets of Solomon Alsberg 19 inch and 20 inch wheels were used for the test, followed by cast wheel equivalents of the same size. In addition to the fuel economy/CO2 benefit, the cars using Solomon Alsberg’s forged wheels showed acceleration improvements of up to 2.8 per cent.

Solomon Alsberg supplies 19, 20, 21 and 22 inch wheels to fit Porsche, Lexus, BMW, Land Rover, Mercedes, Audi and Infiniti cars. Its Eco Super Light manufacturing processes combine Alcoa’s latest technological advances in wheel blank forming with “sleek and striking designs.” What the company terms as “rigorous testing at top Russian and German laboratories” takes place at every stage to ensure that the wheels provide outstanding weight reduction without compromising strength and reliability.

Related News:

• Forged Wheels Move Into the Volume Market

• Alcoa Supplying 20-Inch Wheel Blanks to Solomon Alsberg

• Expect More Alcoa Forged Passenger Wheel OE Deals in 2009