Uldis,
Did you post here recently regarding Image Wheels for the Exige? From memory, concensus was that they couldn’t manufacture for the Exige - is this correct?
The other night I was out with the M.D. of Image, he told me that someone did come down in a Lotus wanting wheels for it, but they couldn’t make them as the brake caliper was too large for their wheels to fit. Turns out it was an Elise owner who wanted 15" wheels, not 16" as in the Exige case. So he tells me it’s not a problem. (He’s seen my Exige)and besides they even make 19" wheels, so 16" is not a problem.
Let me know if this is of assistance. (5.5kg V 11kg?)
Yes, and I spoke to the guy and explained him that I was talking about 16" wheels. He mentioned that he had tried in 16" and couldn’t, that he could do it on 17" at which point I was not interested.
So you did go there? that was one of the things that I suggested, if somebody with an Exige could go for him to see it.
So he measured your car and everything?
Is the option open again? because if so, as he mentioned, the price would go down the more sets he made.
Uldis,
All I can do is ask. As you may all appreciate, they probably get all sorts of ‘max power’ kids phoning them up ref wheels and so probably find it hard to seperate the wheat from the chaff. - having noted the comments here, all I can say is that If you want some details then i am willing to ask… Balls in your court.
I get the impression that he didn’t understand very well, talking a bit “general”, I’ll call him again, but even if he can do them, last time he also told me about the 8 weeks delivery, so unless he’s very sure of what he’s doing, doesn’t sem that we can have samples.
Then again, he quoted about the same number but for one set, he mentioned thet the price could go down if ordering more sets, but never mentioned like 40. Don’t think he’s geared to do like a production run.
Let’s see.
Now the other option then is Simon’s forged wheels run. Had no idea abou that one. What wiuld the measures be Simon? any pic on how would they look? strong?
Basically, this will get you the strongest lightest wheels possible for a given shape, all F1 wheels are forged for example.
They can be forged out of ali, mag ali, etc etc. I would personally steer clear of Mag ali for a road car though, the weight saving is minimal over plane ali.
Style wise, we have not even started on that bit yet, we have a sample 6J15, but this is just to demostrate the proccess, not the wheel.
Big problem with all this is the number of different sizes/shapes requited for the range, every varient is going to need dies making for it, hence the cost.
From memory, we are looking at having to do a min run of 200 of any single wheel.
On this basis, just for the Exige market we would have to commit to 100 car sets of wheels, (that’s 1 in 8 of every Exige ever make).
For the Elise S1 that’s less of a problem, as it is a much bigger potential market.
Price based on these qty’s is going to work out ~�1500 retail, maybe a little less, but in that sort of order (based on Exige sizes).
This is a pic of one they already make, (This is NOT an Exige wheel!)
