Autoblog

Woodward 2009: Devil is in the details

Chris Shunk — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 16:01:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Misc. Auto Shows, Design/Style

Woodward details - Click above for high-res image gallery

Woodward is always chock-full of interesting-looking vehicles, and in many cases the smallest of details will make all the difference between a good and great classic. Think about some of the classic cars of all time, and chances are that the details will be what pops up in your mind. The fuel cap on a 1970 Dodge Charger, the surfacing of a 1957 Chevy Bel-Air or the hood ornament on any Rolls Royce all come to mind. Badging, hood ornaments, decals, chrome, detailing, wheels and fuzzy dice all count, and we've got plenty for you to look at. Click on the gallery below to peruse the best details of Woodward.

Gallery: Woodward 2009: Devil is in the details

Woodward 2009: Devil is in the details originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 16 Aug 2009 16:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Meadow Brook Concours 2009: Wheels and Badges

Chris Shunk — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 18:59:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Misc. Auto Shows, Design/Style

Meadow Brook wheels and badges - click above for high-res image gallery

Over the past decade or so, automakers and aftermarket shops have placed a lot of attention on stylish hoops. Barely a decade ago, 17-inch wheels were reserved for a high-end vehicle's top trim model, whereas now you can get factory 20's on larger vehicles, and 18s are becoming increasingly common on compacts.

Though high-end alloys have fast become a must for any new vehicle, it's hardly a brand new phenomenon, as we were reminded at the 2009 Concours d'Elegance at Meadow Brook. While wheels today use aluminum to keep weight down, early wheels were made of wood. And when you're looking at a Cadillac or Lincoln from the early Nineteens, the timber is just gorgeous. As vehicles became more modern, wood turned to steel. Note the generous size of the wheels in relation to the overall size of the vehicle. Some of our favorite wheels reside in the wheel well of Fifties and Sixties-era Ferrari and Jaguar cars, as highly polished wires helped make these two-seaters look that much better.

Click on the gallery below to peruse through some of our favorite wheels at Meadow Brook. We have also added some of our favorite brand badging from the show for your enjoyment.

Gallery: Meadow Brook Concours 2009: Wheels and badges

Meadow Brook Concours 2009: Wheels and Badges originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 04 Aug 2009 18:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Alcoa developing lighter wheels for increased efficiency

Michael Harley — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 18:29:00 EST

Filed under: Green, Technology

Heavy steel wheels are relatively rare in showrooms these days -- it seems they are heading the way of bias-ply tires. Most new cars are delivered with cast aluminum wheels. While cast wheels weigh less than comparative steel wheels, they are still manufactured with thick castings and solid spokes (forged aluminum wheels, both lighter and stronger, are generally more expensive and as such, fitted largely to performance vehicles).

Alcoa Wheel & Transportation Products, one of the world's largest aluminum suppliers, is determined to reinvent the wheel in an effort to save fuel and lower emissions. The company is tackling this issue by designing wheels manufactured with higher strength aircraft-quality aluminum. The alloy is 20 percent stronger than the current wheel material, so wheels can be made thinner and with hollow spokes.

Alcoa recently displayed two 20-inch wheels for comparison: A Chrysler OEM aluminum wheel weighed 35.5 pounds, while the Alcoa alloy wheel weighed just 27.7 pounds. The benefits are obvious, and Alcoa is quick to point out that the weight savings are a simple bolt-on solution -- they don't require expensive engineering at the design level to seek weight-savings. Educating the public that lightweight wheels aren't just for high-performance vehicles, the aluminum manufacturer says that the reduced unsprung mass benefits hybrid and electric vehicles by extending their range and increasing their efficiency... and lest we forget, Alcoa is the OEM wheel supplier to the upcoming Chevrolet Volt.

[Source: Automotive News, subs. req'd]

Alcoa developing lighter wheels for increased efficiency originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 17 Mar 2009 18:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pirelli working with Brembo and Magneti Marelli on Cyber Tire

Jonathon Ramsey — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 16:29:00 EST

Filed under: Gadgets, Technology

Pirelli's Cyber Tire will provide real-time tire performance information via a chip/transponder setup in the tire tread. Operating temperature and pressures, typology of the road's surface, and vertical load exerted on the tire will be among the data collected and monitored. The system will work in conjunction with another Pirelli invention, the Cyber Wheel, which will convey wheel information such as hub loads in the same way.

Now that the tire company has partnered with Brembo and Magnetti Marelli on the Cyber Tire, the tie-up could mean a system that quickly transfers information from the tire to the driver, car, and brakes, allowing for more informed and instantaneous performance changes based on driving conditions.

[Source: Pirelli]

Pirelli working with Brembo and Magneti Marelli on Cyber Tire originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 01 Feb 2009 16:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Detroit 2009: Hot Wheels

Jonathon Ramsey — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 12:03:00 EST

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show

Sure, there were a few brands missing from the 2009 Detroit Auto Show, but we never got the feeling that things were bleak... until we went looking for ten cool wheels. After walking the floor twice, we were able to come up with nine. America's premiere auto show had left us walking in circles, one wheel short, debating whether an ugly wheel with internally-mounted calipers was cool enough to make the list. And it was then that the real tragedy of this show hit us: not the subtracted brand count, but the lack of concept cars. With money reduced to growing on tumbleweeds and not on trees, those big-dollar flights of fancy had been (mostly) grounded. Instead, there were some magnificent production vehicles (the humongous 2010 Ford Taurus FTW!), and hereby we present the best wheels we found among them.

Detroit 2009: Hot Wheels originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 17 Jan 2009 12:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Detroit 2009: Ford's Mustang Alley features accessory wheels for 2010 model

Alex Nunez — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 11:58:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, Detroit Auto Show, Performance, Ford

Click above the see the full lineup of Mustang accessory wheels

Don't like the stock wheels on the new Mustang? No worries. Over at the Ford booth at this year's Detroit Auto Show, the 'Stang has its own little area dubbed "Mustang Alley" featuring a display of hoods employed through the years (pretty cool) and a "Mustang Garage" wall with the full lineup of accessory wheels available for the new pony. Ford Racing has offered a variety of wheels before, but this is something else entirely, as it seems Ford would like to redirect some of those aftermarket bucks right back into the coffers at Dearborn. Some of these are really good looking - the gold 20-inchers above look particularly great in person - and we've got the whole lineup posted in the gallery below. Click away.

Gallery: 2010 Ford Mustang Accessory Wheels

Detroit 2009: Ford's Mustang Alley features accessory wheels for 2010 model originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 12 Jan 2009 11:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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High Roller: STRUT announces five new wheel designs

Jonathon Ramsey — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 09:30:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, Lifestyle

Click above for high-res gallery of new STRUT wheel designs

If you're a STRUT fan, then New Year's is starting off right. The maker of jewelry for your car has released five new wheels in the Icon line: the MS, 11, M, V, and X join others like the Icon D and the Icon 10. The forged aluminum wheels are available in 2- or 3-piece designs, and have five available finishes: chrome, brushed satin, pinstripe, two-tone and carbon fiber. You can even get deep lip versions. But don't even pick up the phone if you can't go at least 20 inches -- the wheels start there, and end at 26. Oh, and they also start at $6,000. It costs money to STRUT, don'tcha know... Strut through the gallery of high-res images to see for yourself.

Gallery: New STRUT Icon Wheel Collection

[Source: STRUT]

Continue reading High Roller: STRUT announces five new wheel designs

High Roller: STRUT announces five new wheel designs originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 07 Jan 2009 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MAM debuts ZR1 wheels for earlier Corvettes

Jonathon Ramsey — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 11:02:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, Coupe, Performance, Supercars, Chevrolet

Mid-America has put C4, C5, and C6 Corvette owners twenty spokes closer to owning a ZR1. Anyone with a '97-'09 Vette can order the wheels in paired sizes in Chrome, Hyper Silver, Painted Black, and Black Chrome. They're $500 per pair and will ship in the New Year. Could be worth the wait for the Vette owner who (thinks he or she) has everything. You can read all about them in the press release after the jump and start your order with "Dear Santa..."

[Source: Mid America Motorworks]

Continue reading MAM debuts ZR1 wheels for earlier Corvettes

MAM debuts ZR1 wheels for earlier Corvettes originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 13 Dec 2008 11:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Weds creates a 6.1-pound full carbon fiber wheel

Jonathon Ramsey — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 15:58:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, Technology, Tokyo Auto Salon

Weds Sports, a Japanese wheel-maker, has created a full carbon fiber wheel -- rims, spokes, hub, everything -- that weighs 2.76 kg. Coming out to about 6.1 pounds, that's about half the weight of the Dymag carbon fiber wheel with a magnesium rim that you'll find on a Callaway Corvette, and just over a pound more than Dymag's all-carbon race-specific front wheel for a motorcycle.

According to a rough translation of Weds' literature, they use a dry carbon fiber process that makes the wheels strong enough for... well, we're not really sure. While the rims look absolutely ace, we can't find any other company that makes an entire wheel out of carbon fiber, and Weds apparently hasn't yet put them in production, which leads us to think that these babies were meant only for the scales at the Tokyo Auto Salon. But if you have $12,000 for a set of four, and you live in an area with no potholes and no curbs, these could be the rims for you.

[Source: Carbon Fiber Gear]

Weds creates a 6.1-pound full carbon fiber wheel originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 29 Aug 2008 15:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Titan Tire ships world's first 63-inch tire

Jonathon Ramsey — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 14:28:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Technology, Work

Remember in the first Crocodile Dundee movie when he gets mugged in New York City and Sue says "He's got a knife," and Dundee says, "That's not a knife, this is a knife," and then he pulls out a beast-killing monstrosity of a blade? Well, that's what the folks at Titan Tire are saying right now about every other -- smaller -- tire in the world.

Titan has made a 63-inch rubber behemoth for use on trucks in Canada's oil sands. The stats on these rubber donuts is impressive: the 59/80R63 is the biggest production tire in the world, standing over fourteen feet tall and weighing 12,500 pounds with a load rating of 101 metric tons. It makes Titan a very appropriate name for the company, as we learned from another movie, Remember the Titans, that in Greek mythology the Titans were greater even than the gods. Now we can only hope this development will make the price of oil drop another ten dollars...

[Source: Titan via Gizmag]

Titan Tire ships world's first 63-inch tire originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 31 Jul 2008 14:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Arden Jaguar XF AJ 21 one custom kitty

Michael Harley — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 14:01:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, Tuners, Sedan, Jaguar

Arden, the German tuning firm that's been tweaking Jaguars for decades, is teasing us with this concept shot of its new Jaguar XF AJ 21. We just drove the 2009 Jaguar XF and felt the sheetmetal was lacking some excitement. In a good manner, it appears that Adren has addressed some of our concerns with its aerodynamic sport package including new front and rear bumpers, new side skirts, and a more aggressive wheel package. Look closely and you'll notice the cat is back on the hood (maybe too much redundancy, considering the badge is just below it as well?). Expect more photographs, specifications and pricing in the near future.

Gallery: First Drive: 2009 Jaguar XF

[Source: CoolBrit]

Arden Jaguar XF AJ 21 one custom kitty originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 04 Apr 2008 14:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SEMA Wheels: If 30 is the new 20, then 40 is the new 30

Frank Filipponio — Sun, 04 Nov 2007 14:46:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, SEMA Show, Trends

Where 20-inch rims seemed gigantic just a couple of years ago, the massive surge in 22s, 24s, 26s and the like mean 30s are becoming commonplace. No self-respecting donk would be caught rollin' on anything less than 30s these days, and last week at SEMA we even saw 32s, 34s and a pair of 42s (!) floating around the show floor, as well. We also spotted a few creative solutions to dealing with these new monster rims, like cutting out a car's fenderwells completely and a whole new tire mounting apparatus to handle these behemoths. You've already seen a couple of these megarims in some of our previous SEMA posts, but below is a gallery of some of the most egregious examples we could find. And lest you think size is all that matters, we've also included some colorful and fanciful offerings, as well as random shots of collections, sport rims, retro rollers and even a couple of monster truck tires we spotted that might portend the zenith of the tall tire trend. Enjoy.

Gallery: SEMA Wheels 2007

SEMA Wheels: If 30 is the new 20, then 40 is the new 30 originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 04 Nov 2007 14:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SEMA Wheels: Five Axis introduces Five:AD wheel lineup

Merritt Johnson — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 13:27:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, SEMA Show

Wheels are like shoes for your car (deep, huh?), as they come in a wide variety of colors and styles, plus they are easy to change dependent on your tastes and budget. Unfortunately not every wheel company seems to produce original designs and even if they do it doesn't mean they're pretty. That is where Five Axis fits in. Riding on the success of their Scion concept vehicles, the design house known for its coachbuilt concepts has just unveiled its new line of wheels dubbed Five:AD at the 2007 SEMA Show in Las Vegas. The light weight aluminum alloy wheels were displayed on the Five Axis Toyota Yaris Club, Lexus IS-F and Scion xB concept vehicles. The complete wheel lineup consists of five designs available in multiple finishes that are all as unique as this company's corporate-sponsored fantasy cars. The sizes range from 17- to 20-inches and feature bolt patterns available for almost any application. See the complete press release after the jump.

[Source: Five Axis, Wheel Supply Systems]

Gallery: Five Axis Five:AD wheel lineup

Continue reading SEMA Wheels: Five Axis introduces Five:AD wheel lineup

SEMA Wheels: Five Axis introduces Five:AD wheel lineup originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 02 Nov 2007 13:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SEMA Wheels: That's one heck of a fat lip

Frank Filipponio — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 18:18:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, SEMA Show

That's an 11-inch lip on these wheels! These rims from Royalty Luxury Alloys are called the Masterpiece and according to the signage, they feature the world's first 11-inch lip. The look is a bit deceiving, because the spokes are set in the middle, but bow far back into the rim to create the world's only 11-inch lip. Custom rims are all about getting noticed, so if deep lips are your thing, it looks like you'll now have to crank it up to 11 to stand out from the crowd.

Gallery: Royalty Masterpiece rims

SEMA Wheels: That's one heck of a fat lip originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 01 Nov 2007 18:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SEMA Wheels: Clear has staying power

Frank Filipponio — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 10:02:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, SEMA Show, Etc.

Click for a mini gallery of some of this year's clear rims

Last year "clear" was very in at SEMA: Clear wheels, clear hoods, clear heels, even clear engine blocks. This year a few wheel companies are keeping the trend alive with more on the clear front. While there was a set of massive 30-something-inchers on a particularly clean Riviera, we also saw some slightly more tame sizes on display as well. The big ones on the Riv were from Rimshot, but Dub had some out there, too, on a nearby Benz. The Dubs didn't capitalize on the all-clear concept quite as well, but they seem a bit more realistic in some odd way. Still kind of ridiculous for anything other than display, they at least LOOKED somewhat usable.

Gallery: SEMA clear wheels

SEMA Wheels: Clear has staying power originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 01 Nov 2007 10:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SEMA 2007 VIDEO: The next wheel frontier

Damon Lavrinc — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 20:38:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, SEMA Show

click above image to view a VIDEO of the LED Wheels in action

Most wheel fads have a shelf life shorter than a pop star's stay at Betty Ford. Spinners have become passé and the new biggie-sized wheels can't claim to be "dubs" anymore once they've eclipsed the 30-inch mark. Enter LED Wheels, a company that envisions a world with flashing graphics, customized designs and even adverts for Macy's Labor Day Sale rotating on your rims. The screen in the rim's center looks to be about seven to eight inches wide and remains upright while the wheel rotates around it. The possibilities are endless, but we know it's only a matter of time before someone pipes Jenna Jameson's latest flick out to an unsuspecting world.

Check out the video after the jump of the LED Wheels in action.

Continue reading SEMA 2007 VIDEO: The next wheel frontier

SEMA 2007 VIDEO: The next wheel frontier originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 31 Oct 2007 20:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SEMA Wheels: Rolling on George Washington rims

Frank Filipponio — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 17:39:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, Etc.

Click for larger version and a couple more pics of these Washingtonian rims

Next up in our whacky wheels from SEMA category are these spinners with a fun twist. Behind the blades the artist has painted the father of our country, President George Washington. And they are HUGE to boot. These particular rims measure 30 inches in diameter. As we've learned this year here in Vegas, 30 is the new 20. Although, considering the artist chose to paint Washington in his place on this country's favorite common coin, the quarter, we think 25-inch rims would have been more appropriate.

Gallery: Dubs quarter spinners

SEMA Wheels: Rolling on George Washington rims originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 31 Oct 2007 17:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SEMA Wheels: How very Vegas - the roulette wheel

Frank Filipponio — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 15:55:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, SEMA Show, Etc.

Click for a couple of larger images of this fun roulette wheel from Las Vegas

This one is pure Vegas. A roulette wheel seems so obvious we wonder why nobody has tried it before now. In fact we don't know whether or not someone else HAS offered one before, but it was the first time we had seen it and we loved it, right down to its Louis Vuitton leather center. We were a little disappointed that this Lenso designed rim wasn't shown in 30-plus inch glory, but even at its modest measurements it was a winner worthy of a spot in our SEMA highlight reel. For goodness sakes, the company logo was even done up in rhinestones!

SEMA Wheels: How very Vegas - the roulette wheel originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 31 Oct 2007 15:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pretty Colors: Bugatti offers new rims n' trims for Veyron

Noah Joseph — Sun, 08 Jul 2007 15:03:00 EST

Filed under: Supercars, Bugatti

Let's admit it: playing around with the customizing tools for cars you never intend to buy is fun. Although the Veyron's is one of the nicer ones we've tinkered around with, the lack of choices gets boring pretty quick, two-tone paint schemes notwithstanding. Fortunately the good folks at Bugatti - those same good folks who brought us the 1000hp ultra-mega-über-super-car - have decided to bestow upon us a few more criteria to tinker with. Alright, maybe it's more for the actual customers, but since there won't be another Bugatti model coming anytime soon, as we sorrowfully reported several months back, we'll take what we can get.

Future buyers ponying up the million clams it takes to put a Veyron in their (undoubtedly immaculately paved) driveways will now be offered several new choices: a few new color combinations, some new leather trim options for the interior, and colored wheels. The latter will likely please individualistic buyers the most, as a 250-mph supercar can't take just any wheels the aftermarket has to offer.

Reports also suggest that Bugatti is working on a revised exhaust system following client feedback that the exhaust note was not sufficiently impressive, muffled as it were by the four turbochargers (!) and whatnot.

If anyone needs us, we'll be spending the next little while sorting out our new preferred Veyron specs.

Gallery: Bugatti at Geneva 07

[Source: Spiegel Online via German Car Blog and Motor Authority]

Pretty Colors: Bugatti offers new rims n' trims for Veyron originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 08 Jul 2007 15:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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What does Henrik Fisker roll on?

Damon Lavrinc — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 11:04:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket

Too many trips to SEMA have left us immune to the shiny detritus that populates the pages of some of our favorite mags, but when Henrik Fisker, the man who penned the BMW Z8 and the Aston Martin DB9, gets into the wheel business, we take notice.

Beyond his newest coachbuilding projects, Fisker has released two new wheels, designed to fit within the arches of several BMW and Mercedes-Benz vehicles. The ten-spoke FL10 has a bit more of a competitive aura, while the FT5 gets away with the right amount of style and substance. Both are available in gunmetal or titanium finishes, with prices starting around $1,500. But if you ask nice and are willing to exercise your Black Card, they'll customize your wheels with the paint scheme of your choosing.

You can see if you can purchase Fisker's wheels for your own whip by following this link to their website.

[Source: InsideLine]

What does Henrik Fisker roll on? originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 14 Jun 2007 11:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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