Aerodynamic rims
In recent years, the attention of designers has focused on the line and silhouette of cars, and the development mainly consists in the construction of more economical engines, the use of new types of fuel and the use of more and more advanced technologies that facilitate the use of the car and improve its safety.
Regardless of the streamlined shape of the cars, engineers still have a lot of trouble creating the right rim pattern. They wonder how to deal with the air that is leaking around the wheel arches? and causes unnecessary air resistance.
Aerodynamic Rims - because it is on the wheels and rims of the car that air turbulences disturb the ideal aerodynamics, which is a big problem. New turbine-style aerodynamic wheels designed by BMW engineers effectively counteract this effect by dispersing the airflow to the sides of the vehicle. This reduces air resistance, reducing fuel consumption and affecting the top speed of the vehicle. This technology was used in BMW ActiveHybrid 7 and BMW ActiveHybrid X6 cars
Another idea of the BMW concern is to create a series of air intakes to facilitate its flow through and around the vehicle, contributing to a significant reduction in drag. A very important factor here is a controlled air flow around the rear wheels to ensure good control of the uplift and downforce forces on both axles. The designs of the new rims will not appeal to everyone, but it should be remembered that their design was focused on ensuring good aerodynamics.
With another image of the rims of the future, Peugeot designers surprised us by proposing - instead of rigid wheels - rims with movable arms. When driving fast, they can be set (remotely, electrically) so that a stiff, easily cutting through the air disc is formed on the outside. This clever solution was used in the Peugeot XH1 prototype .
The exterior design of the latest A3 Concept prototype combines the current design solutions of the German brand with elements slightly ahead. The latter include, among others 20-inch rims made of carbon fiber and aluminum, which are an attempt to create a new aluminum alloy with greater strength and reliability.