Maserati Granturismo Stradale Wheels - do they weight different?

slay

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Thinking about replacing the Trofeo design wheels with the MC-Design wheels. However, does anyone know if they weight the same?

On th Maserati Spec brochure, the Torfeo Design Wheel is labeled as “Forged”, where as the MC-Design one isn’t. I think forged wheels are lighter based on my very limited knowledge on this technology. Do they actually weight different? Is there any real advantage of the Trofeo design wheel over the MC Design wheels?
 

TimR

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Forging results in stronger units...stronger than cast...This would allow designers to lighten the wheel by removing material in real terms...that is to say, you couldnt cast a forged wheel, like for like, and expect it to offer the same rigidity or strength...
As to the answer about weight..I wouldnt know without weighing them...
They may have offered forged for increased strength assuming a hike in power and torque...or they may have reduced the weight by using the forging process...
 

slay

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409
Hmmm, so is it actually true that the Trofeo design wheels are forged and MC-Design ones not ? Or are they all manufactured using th same process? This is probably a very obscure level of details on the GT.
 

TimR

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I should really butt out cos I’m out of my depth but isn’t Trofeo the racing derivation of the Maserati marques..? It follows that race wheels would be forged.. Bike wheels are forged to oroduce a lighter weight unit for racing..
In real terms, and bikes carry the rotors on the “rim” so the weight thing is slightly different, ( sprung vs unstrung & rotational mass) once you fit rotors, valves, bearings and spacers, then the tyre, there often isn’t a great deal to be gained...! Especially rears as they also carry sprockets. :confused:
 

Zep

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9,110
Tim has the right of it. Assuming, and we have no reason to believe otherwise, that the Trofeo wheels are forged, they will be generally lighter and stronger due to the way forging allows the grain structure of the metal to flow around the shape of the desired part, allowing less material to support the a greater load. Forging is particularly good for strength and impact resistance.

This should result in a reduction in both unsprung weight and the mass of the drivetrain which should improve handling and acceleration. Would you notice this in the real world? Probably not.