Porsche and the braided carbon fiber wheel

 

Porsche has revealed, with some fanfare, that it is the first automotive OEM to offer a vehicle with braided carbon fiber wheels. The 911 Turbo S is the car, and as the video below shows, its wheels are definitely made braided carbon fiber.

All together, the four wheels weigh around 8.5 kg less than standard alloy wheels, which is a weight savings of 20%. They are also, says Porsche, 20% stronger. With a reduced unsprung weight, the tires trail the surface of the road better and are optimized for absorbing longitudinal and lateral forces. Lower rotating masses mean more spontaneity both in acceleration and braking. The result is increased driving dynamics and driving pleasure.

The wheel’s spokes are made with 200 individual carbon fiber plies. The second component is the rim base made from carbon fiber on a Herzog 9m diameter braider, which the carmaker says, in the video, is the largest such braider in the world. (Indeed, this is a large braider, but it is not the world’s largest). Porsche says the wheel center is then braided into the rim base, prior to infusion.

Porsche says braiding makes the structure of the carbon fiber components denser and more compact, which increases rigidity. Using the material more efficiently also produces less waste.

The wheels will be available as an option for the 911 Turbo S Exclusive Series in the dimensions of 9 J x 20 for the front axle and 11.5 J x 20 for the rear axle. In Germany, a set of four wheels will set you back €15,232, including VAT.