Ronal debuts R63 wheel at Essen Motorshow 2017

A striking design quite unlike anything else in the Ronal range, the R63 wheel was debuted at the recent Essen Motorshow. The product features the firm’s new Smart Core technology, a development which allows for wheels with intricate designs to be produced in a reliable and affordable manner.

At first it might appear that the world of OEM and aftermarket wheels is a fairly static one, certainly for the last few decades; an alloy is an alloy after all, and so long as it’s round and has the right fixings then it will certainly work, or at the very least, roll! Appearances can be deceptive however, as this is actually one of the most hotly contested automotive sectors around and one defined by the commitment to ceaseless innovation displayed by those firms within it, Ronal being but one example.

One of the most striking aspects of the Ronal R63’s design is its intricate spoke profile, with a pair of equally complex ‘cut-outs’ running the length of each. Now, Ronal isn’t trying to claim that it’s the first wheel maker to come up with alloys with complex faces, but it has devised a way of making these designs easier and cheaper to produce, with more reliable results for good measure. It’s a highly significant development and one which could only have come from Ronal, a company that’s been entrusted with developing OEM wheels for some of the world’s most prestigious car makers for decades now.

The R63’s detailed face has been made possible by its maker’s use of the Smart Core construction process. The process itself sees a pair of salt components mixed together, melted and poured into the salt cores, whereupon they are placed in the wheel mould and re-cast in aluminum. This enables the implementation of complex internal shapes and a high variety of designs, and all without compromising the overall strength of the wheel itself.  Designs of this type are often simply too intricate a task for conventional casting techniques or mechanical finishing processes. The use of smart cores is key to the R63’s construction process, permitting Ronal’s designers to create wheels with high mechanical strength while maintaining total freedom of design.

Smart Core construction isn’t merely a boon to Ronal’s designers, it’s good news for the environment; the salt cores themselves are 100 per cent water soluble, while all waste water is treated before being recycled back into the construction phase.

Smart Core construction process aside, the Ronal R63 looks set to stand out thanks to the choice of different finishes available, both of which have been specially designed to be both eye-catching and hard-wearing. Customers can choose from a pair of diamond cut variants of the R63, one in graphite and silver, the other with a contrasting graphite and red finish. Both versions are 8.0×18in in size and boast a 5-stud fitment. SL Corse Ltd is the Ronal & Speedline official UK distributor.