World Champion: Braided Carbon Wheels

Porsche is the world's first manufacturer of light commercial vehicles with braided carbon fibers. They are now available as an option for the Porsche 911 Turbo S Exclusive Series.

OneShift Editorial Team

23 Aug 2017

The characteristic black high-tech carbon material is clearly visible under a protective layer of clear lacquer. The innovative wheels weigh a total of around 8.5 kilograms or 20 percent less than the standard light alloy wheels and are at the same time 20 percent more solid. By reducing the unsprung masses, the tires of the road surface follow better and transmit longitudinal and transverse forces optimally. Lower rotating masses mean more spontaneous acceleration and braking. As a result, driving dynamics and driving pleasure are increased.

The wheel made entirely of carbon-fiber reinforced plastic (CfK) consists essentially of two components. The wheel is made of carbon fiber mats. More than 200 individual components are cut and combined. The rimbed is the second component of braided carbon fibers on the currently world's largest carbon fiber braiding machine with a diameter of around nine meters. Then the wheel is braided into the rimbed. The assembled wheel is impregnated with resin and precured under high pressure and high temperatures. The finished wheel is cured at high temperatures and then slowly cooled. Then the central lock is inserted into the finished wheel and the wheel is protected with clear lacquer.

Porsche is using this extremely complex technology for the first time in the automotive industry. Compared to conventional production using pre-impregnated carbon fiber mats, braiding technology offers decisive advantages: the material structure of the carbon is significantly denser and more closed by this manufacturing technique. This results in a higher strength. The more efficient use of materials also results in less waste. The new carbon wheel consists entirely of carbon fibers with a length of 18 kilometers or eight square meters of carbon fiber mats.

The new carbon wheels come in the dimensions 9 J x 20 for the front axle and 11.5 J x 20 for the rear axle at the beginning of 2018 as an option for the 911 Turbo S Exclusive Series on the market. The price in Germany is 15,232 Euro including VAT.