Bethesda, MD, July 27 – American bespoke carbon fiber atelier Vitesse AuDessus launches a line of one-piece, full carbon fiber wheels.
Hollow and perfectly balanced, each handcrafted wheel tips the scales at just over 13lbs (6kg) on average.
“In certain cases, our wheels reduce unsprung weight by more than 50%,“ says CEO Stefany Sanchez. “This dramatic reduction translates into increased acceleration, reduced stopping distance, improved steering and handling, improved grip, reduced road noise and vibrations and improved fuel economy.”
Fabrication
Vitesse AuDessus’s new line of one-piece, full carbon fiber wheels uses prepreg carbon fiber fabric that is hand-laid and autoclave-cured in CNC-milled aluminum moulds, a process shared by Formula 1 race teams and respected Sweden-based supercar manufacturer Koenigsegg.
Vitesse AuDessus employs this same process for the brand’s full range of bespoke carbon fiber exteriors, interiors, components and monocoques which they produce for the world’s most exciting and exclusive automotive machines.
Production Range
Aside from Vitesse AuDessus’s bespoke offering, the company also produces a wide range of OEM-spec, one-piece full carbon fiber wheels for all current Lamborghini, Ferrari, McLaren, Bugatti, Bentley, Aston Martin, Porsche, Mercedes Benz and BMW models.
Pricing, warranty and lead time
Retail pricing for OEM wheels starts at $8,875/wheel while bespoke pricing begins at $10,125/wheel. Price factors include design, dimensions and performance requirements.
All Vitesse AuDessus’s products come with a 5-year warranty against defect or failure and a replacement guarantee.
Typical lead time for the company’s one-piece, full carbon fiber wheels is 3-4 weeks.
Technical Notes
The improvements in performance and handling dynamics netted by reduced unsprung weight is a function of lowered translational and rotational inertia; this translates into less energy required for acceleration/deceleration and keeping the tires in contact with the road.
Vitesse AuDessus’s proprietary fabrication techniques take maximum advantage of carbon fiber’s strength-to-weight and directional properties. Stiffness and tensile strength can be greatly increased in a pinpointed fashion with only minor weight penalties, a feat that is all-together impossible for isotropic materials such as aluminum or steel.
Closing Remarks
In closing, Sanchez remarks, “Think of your exotic or supercar as a Tom Ford suit or, in my case, a Carolina Herrera Dress. You wouldn’t pair either with a generic, mass-produced shoe or heel made with inferior materials, would you? I think not. And our clients would agree.”
Vitesse AuDessus. Tell a better story.
Useful links:
Facebook.com/VitesseAuDessus
Twitter.com/VitesseAuDessus
LinkedIn.com/company/vitesse-audessus
LinkedIn.com/in/stefanysanz
Website: www.vitesseaudessus.com