Carbon Fibre wheels for VF commodores

[Forg]

But if you'd welded 2 Sigmas together, they'd have weighed about the same as an SV6 ... OK, with only about 2/3 the power out of the resulting 5.2L engine.

 

[Subju]

a?

 

[shane_3800]

I once saw a set of CF wheels get fitted to a tesla. $25k.....

In reguards to performance they make a big difference as rotational mass is a lot harder to accelerate compared to the mass of the body of the car.

 

[Derekthetree]

Didn't realise the worldwide leader for CFRP wheels was local!

The latest Trophy Megane had them as an option

https://www.whichcar.com.au/reviews...ophy-r-vs-2008-renault-megane-r26r-comparison

If I'd had the money at the time, I'd have bought one of the old R26Rs, great car and never dropped in value.

 

[vc commodore]

But if you'd welded 2 Sigmas together, they'd have weighed about the same as an SV6 ... OK, with only about 2/3 the power out of the resulting 5.2L engine.

Ah, but they put 5.0, 5.7 or 5.8 litre engines into a single one of them...Makes a bit more power than an SV6

 

[_R_J_K_]

and if you ARE tracking it, I kinda have to wonder why you're tracking an 1800kg car in the first place.

Eh, there are reasons. Mainly just because it's a common car that's easy/affordable to access, but the VE's suspension is also really well designed compared to the older Commodores (and just in general compared to a lot of other cars really). Sure I doubt it would be competitive at full street weight depending on which series it was in and what it was competing against (a lot of Beamers/Mercedes'/Fords etc.. will be in the same weight ballpark), but these things can be really well set up and if you're using one to improve driving skill or lap times it wouldn't be a bad choice for the cost, even the V6. It's biggest weakness is its weight though.

 

[Big Red VF-SII Go-kart]

I once saw a set of CF wheels get fitted to a tesla. $25k.....

This is the going price for 4 CF wheels (add a bit more for the spare; you cannot put a steel or alloy spare on with CF wheels) from the Deakin University/Carbon Rev team in Geelong e.g. circa $24,000 base price (tyres to match, extra, about $1,400), and not the sort of thing you'd put on a car to go to church on Sundays or to look pretty in the backlots of Broady. The manufacturing backstory of these CF tyres if fascinating and undeniably expensive — lots of input from Deakin University materials engineering. But like CF wheels for mountain bikes, they will not suffer gladly curb-rash (one gouge will be sufficient to red flag a wheel for replacement), chicane-hopping/grazing, potholes or gravel roads. Don't forget what happens with your insurance premium!! CF wheels are common extras on Maseratis, Porsche (Cayenne, esp.) and Ferrari. If you have the cash, lots of it, go for it.

 

[Forg]

You really going to war over Sigmas. Don't **** with Sigmas mate.

Have you ever met a car that you can buy for $400 20 years ago with 6 months rego.

One does not simply **** with a car that costs less than the cost of rego.

You really want to go to war with something that costs minus dollars?

Hey, there's no war here! I'd just hoped to eke out further explanation, a Sigma being so much lighter than the "1800kg" claimed, so I didn't get where tracking a Sigma was linked to tracking an 1800kg car.
Unless you're fitting like 800kg of big-block into it or something.

Eh, there are reasons. Mainly just because it's a common car that's easy/affordable to access, but the VE's suspension is also really well designed compared to the older Commodores (and just in general compared to a lot of other cars really). Sure I doubt it would be competitive at full street weight depending on which series it was in and what it was competing against (a lot of Beamers/Mercedes'/Fords etc.. will be in the same weight ballpark), but these things can be really well set up and if you're using one to improve driving skill or lap times it wouldn't be a bad choice for the cost, even the V6. It's biggest weakness is its weight though.

I guess I should elaborate there as well ... what I meant was that I'm not aware of (and please feel free to correct me) a category in which a VE or VF is going to neatly slot, which would warrant spending $16k on just wheels alone (meaning that before getting to that stage you'd have to have done all the other mods which would get you more performance first - so you'd have spent, what, $20k to $50k on other stuff first to get to the point where further mods elsewhere won't have more effect than the $16k in wheels) as well as the cost of the car.
I'm saying that badly, but not sure EXACTLY how to put it. I think maybe the best way to say it might be "for track purposes if you spend multiples of $16k elsewhere first, you'll get more result than the $16k on the wheels".

Now ... if it's for the sake of fitting something you like to your car, that's totally different & I understand it & I do the same sort of stuff that's not objectively sensible myself. It's your car, enjoy it!

 

[bradp51]

Didn't realise the worldwide leader for CFRP wheels was local!

The latest Trophy Megane had them as an option

https://www.whichcar.com.au/reviews...ophy-r-vs-2008-renault-megane-r26r-comparison

If I'd had the money at the time, I'd have bought one of the old R26Rs, great car and never dropped in value.

Yes a real Australian success story. They make the CF wheels for Ford for the Mustang and also supply Porsche and soon a few others. Their share price is doing well too, after a recent float on the ASX.

Would love some on my car but it looks like they will be too expensive.

 

[panhead]

I guess I should elaborate there as well ... what I meant was that I'm not aware of (and please feel free to correct me) a category in which a VE or VF is going to neatly slot, which would warrant spending $16k on just wheels alone (meaning that before getting to that stage you'd have to have done all the other mods which would get you more performance first - so you'd have spent, what, $20k to $50k on other stuff first to get to the point where further mods elsewhere won't have more effect than the $16k in wheels) as well as the cost of the car.
I'm saying that badly, but not sure EXACTLY how to put it. I think maybe the best way to say it might be "for track purposes if you spend multiples of $16k elsewhere first, you'll get more result than the $16k on the wheels".

Now ... if it's for the sake of fitting something you like to your car, that's totally different & I understand it & I do the same sort of stuff that's not objectively sensible myself. It's your car, enjoy it!

I paid $11k rims only for my Merc without first doing other mods, I've never tracked it with them on, I put the stock AMG forged rims on for that, they're cheaper to replace if I damage one.

There is a noticeable difference with the way the car launches when I swap them for the stock rims.

Why'd I pay $11k for four rims, because I liked the look of them and anything less would have looked cheap, I'd buy the Carbon Fibre rims at $16K but they don't float my boat, I'd have to have a coating applied to get rid of the CF look and that would defeat much of the appeal of owning them.

Mod your car how you like, some people go bling, some go power, some go both, my only advice would be if you choose the power route then do your brakes first.


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