Sure you can buy carbon fibre road car wheels from an aftermarket shop and Koenigsegg offers carbon wheels as an option, but for the debut of the world’s first mass-produced track-capable carbon fibre wheels that title will go the Shelby GT350R – claimed to be the most track-capable Mustang so far.
And those wheels are from Geelong’s Carbon Revolution, recognized as the world leader in carbon fibre wheels for motorsport.
So we have lightweight wheels bringing into play the handling benefits from a massive reduction in unsprung weight – but what about the effects from the brake temperatures generated the large V8 muscle-car on a motorsport track?
Cue the Space Shuttle.
Yep, ‘Ceramic Plasma Arc Spray’ - as used on the main engine turbine blades of the original Shuttle - is applied to the front wheels of the Ford Shelby GT350R Mustang to provide thermal protection from brake heat.
Carbon Revolution received some financial support from the $29.5 million Geelong Regional Innovation Fund (to which Ford Australia itself contributed $10 million).
