Ford GT Bare Carbon Wheel Debuts


dbk

The Favor Factory™
Staff member
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Jul 30, 2005
15,187
Metro Detroit
Now that would be a light ass wheel. :lol

It was a 25% reduction in inertia, not weight.
 

soroush

Ford Gt Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Aug 8, 2007
5,256
I think they look great, but am I the only one who wants to know how do you repair them when you get rock chips or worse curb them?:eek
 

nota4re

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Feb 15, 2006
4,176
Me thinks if the wheels weigh in at the mid or high teens, then they have hit the mark!
 

dbk

The Favor Factory™
Staff member
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Jul 30, 2005
15,187
Metro Detroit
Me thinks if the wheels weigh in at the mid or high teens, then they have hit the mark!

The R wheels are 18 lbs. I assume these are a little heavier being that they are a little bigger and a more "designed" shape. Beyond outright weight, the CF wheel is supposed to be a benefit for driving dynamics and NVH, so even though the weight differential isn't that big they are still desirable.

GT350R is F 19 x 11 and R 19 x 11.5, these are F 20 x 8.5 and R 20 x 11.5.
 

Brombear

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
May 16, 2013
1,396
Frankfurt Area, Germany
6 pounds would be very hard to believe for a 20" wheel. I once had magnesium/aluminium 13" wheels on a small italian car and i don't think they have been below 10 pounds each.

An absolute weight from a reputable source (eg DBK) would be great :wink
 

Vince H

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Jul 23, 2012
2,417
Southern California
Those are breath taking. No stone left unturned.

Vince H
 

ChipBeck

GT Owner
Staff member
Mark IV Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Feb 13, 2006
5,769
Scottsdale, Arizona
Now that would be a light ass wheel. :lol

It was a 25% reduction in inertia, not weight.

So my high school math didn't get it here?!? Perhaps I'm not cut out to engineer auto parts and I should stick to selling gas and beer!

Chip
 

Awsum GT

GT Owner '18
Mark IV Lifetime
Sep 17, 2005
3,985
Carmel & Cntrl Ca
So my high school math didn't get it here?!? Perhaps I'm not cut out to engineer auto parts and I should stick to selling gas and beer!

Chip

LOL... I'll take a fill up and a few beers!
 

FENZO

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Jul 7, 2008
1,518
Lafayette, CO
 

FikseGTS

GT Owner
Apr 15, 2007
461
South Florida
estimated cost in the $15k range?
 

RALPHIE

GT Owner
Mar 1, 2007
7,278
I was wondering if they took them to Nardo for testing??? Or, if they plan to??
 

debtdrives

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Apr 20, 2007
438
Oakland, Michigan 48363
Sweet! Like automotive jewelry...
 

davefordgt

GT Owner
Feb 10, 2006
302
2017 Ford GT carbon fiber wheels save 2 pounds each

http://www.motor1.com/news/62820/2017-ford-gt-carbon-fiber-wheels-save-2-pounds-each/

I only wish they could be ordered bare carbon like in the pics. Why cover up that beautiful carbon fiber.
 

Attachments

  • 2017-ford-gt-carbon-fiber-wheels.jpg
    2017-ford-gt-carbon-fiber-wheels.jpg
    95.7 KB · Views: 255
  • 2017-ford-gt-carbon-fiber-wheels2.jpg
    2017-ford-gt-carbon-fiber-wheels2.jpg
    89 KB · Views: 249
  • 2017-ford-gt-carbon-fiber-wheels3.jpg
    2017-ford-gt-carbon-fiber-wheels3.jpg
    147.8 KB · Views: 255
  • 2017-ford-gt-carbon-fiber-wheels4.jpg
    2017-ford-gt-carbon-fiber-wheels4.jpg
    130.6 KB · Views: 246

davefordgt

GT Owner
Feb 10, 2006
302
Optional carbon fiber 20-inch wheels will be offered in two different finishes.


As had been rumored, the 2017 Ford GT supercar will shave even more weight thanks to carbon fiber wheels. Compared to the car’s standard forged aluminum wheels, each optional carbon 20-inch wheel is about two pounds lighter, which Ford says reduces rotational inertia by 25 percent.

The wheels are manufactured by Carbon Revolution, which also provides the carbon fiber rolling stock that come standard on the Ford Shelby GT350R Mustang. In addition to saving ever-important pounds, Ford says that the carbon wheels help damp vibrations that can cause road noise or a stiffer ride. Primarily, though, for a supercar like the Ford GT, the benefit is in reducing unsprung mass for the benefit of acceleration, braking, and handling.

Ford GT buyers will be able to select their carbon wheels either in a matte finish or with a glossy clearcoat. Of course, many aspiring purchasers won’t be able to buy a Ford GT at all: Though Ford plans to build just 500 copies of the carbon-fiber coupe, 6,506 people submitted an application for a spot in line to buy one.

Ford still has not revealed a price tag for the new GT, saying only that the car will start in the mid-$400,000 range. The car, which was first shown at last year’s Detroit auto show, will pack a 3.5-liter biturbo EcoBoost V-6 with more than 600 hp.

Source: Ford
 

STORMCAT

GT
Mark IV Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
May 25, 2006
7,549
Ft. Lauderdale
They Look Fantastic !! Some of the pics look like they have the Ceramic white coating on the barrels and some pics look like clear resin.

For a point of reference my Super light 1 piece forged wheels stack up like this:
Front 19 x 9 @ 17.67 lbs
Rears : 19 x 11.5" @ 19.67 lbs

It would be nice to see the actual weight numbers. Stating they are lighter than the Aluminum wheels is not a lot of help if you are into the numbers.
It would also be nice to know the approximate weight distribution of hub versus barrel weight. Lighter barrels are a big plus.
Specialty Wheels are designed for a cars total weight and specific corner weights. The new GT's total weight and corner weights are going to be different then the 350R's . so that comparison is going to be skewed. .
 
Last edited:

STORMCAT

GT
Mark IV Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
May 25, 2006
7,549
Ft. Lauderdale
 

Awsum GT

GT Owner '18
Mark IV Lifetime
Sep 17, 2005
3,985
Carmel & Cntrl Ca
http://www.motor1.com/news/62820/2017-ford-gt-carbon-fiber-wheels-save-2-pounds-each/

I only wish they could be ordered bare carbon like in the pics. Why cover up that beautiful carbon fiber.

The way I read DBK's post is they will be offered as bare carbon fiber. Am I missing something?
 

ChipBeck

GT Owner
Staff member
Mark IV Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Feb 13, 2006
5,769
Scottsdale, Arizona
I only wish they could be ordered bare carbon like in the pics. Why cover up that beautiful carbon fiber.

Gentlemen,

You will be able to order those wheels as pictured clear coated.

Chip
 

gzl

GT Owner
Jan 27, 2010
69
As excited as I am about that wheel I'm not going to torture myself with configurations until I hear from FOMOCO. Too much like being a teenager looking at Dad's PBMs.
 

Bullitt2065

Well-known member
Aug 25, 2015
206
Detroit, MI
http://www.motor1.com/news/62820/2017-ford-gt-carbon-fiber-wheels-save-2-pounds-each/

I only wish they could be ordered bare carbon like in the pics. Why cover up that beautiful carbon fiber.

You CAN order them like in the pics. If you couldn't they wouldn't be showing them do you like that. In fact, as I understand it the CF wheels come ONLY in exposed fashion, with either gloss or matte clearcoat over top.