Are alloy wheels better for performance?
Look down the feature list of any Mercedes-Benz, and you will find alloy wheels among the features listed. This, of course, wasn’t always the case, and it has led many to wonder what are alloy wheels and are alloy wheels any better for performance? At Mercedes-Benz of Scottsdale, we will take a deep dive into this topic and explore some of the tech behind your wheels. If you are looking for a new Mercedes-Benz in Scottsdale, AZ, then check out the new inventory that we have to offer by clicking the link below.
What are alloy wheels made of?
Alloy wheels are made of alloy. Okay, but what is an alloy? Alloy is not actually very descriptive. It’s any metal made by combining two or more metallic elements together. For the most part, modern wheels are made predominantly of aluminum but feature additives like nickel. Historically, magnesium has also been used, though it generally fell out of favor.
Are there alternatives to alloy wheels?
The other type of wheels that are still in use today are steel wheels. Steel wheels are much cheaper to produce and are generally more resilient to damage. However, they have two major drawbacks. Firstly, they are ugly.
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In fact, all cars with steel wheels are typically also sold with hub caps. The only purpose of hub caps is to make the steel wheel look better. The other drawback comes down to weight. Steel wheels are a lot heavier than alloy wheels.
What is the MANUFAKTUR program from Mercedes-Benz?
Why is having lightweight wheels important?
You may think that there are a lot of places that a car can shave weight but shaving weight on the wheels actually makes a way bigger difference than shaving the same weight elsewhere. This is because wheels are unsprung weight, meaning they ride on the road where less weight means a smoother ride. Also, your wheels have to be spun by your engine. Less weight there means better acceleration.
