Alcoa Forged Wheels Selected for Ferrari 458 Italia

Alcoa’s automotive wheels business secured the contract to supply lightweight forged aluminium wheels for critically acclaimed Ferrari 458 Italia. The deal, which was sealed at the end of October 2010, sees the company supply forged aluminium wheel technology that ensures that the front wheel weighs just 10.3 kilos, while the rear wheel weighs 11.5 kilos, a significant saving compared to a typical cast aluminium wheel and a result that is only achievable with a forging process.

These weights are all the more remarkable in view of the sizes: wheel diameters are increased to 20 inches to accommodate large carbon-ceramic brake discs, and rim widths of 8.5 inches (front) and 10.5 inches (rear) are required by the latest generation of high-performance tires.

For some time Alcoa has been sharing details of the growing number of relationships with prestigious OEMs it has build up worldwide. The firm’s relationship with Ferrari has been built up over several model generations, of which the 458 application is the latest.

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