High-performance cars and their refined
shapes present a unique challenge for their designers. The wheel, tire and brake systems must
reduce weight and boost performance -; enough to create a sublime driving experience-; and justify
a $150,000 price tag.

Today, well over 60 percent of high-performance cars come equipped
with cast alloy wheels, the same type found on family sedans. For the average car owner, alloy
wheels are fine: They are lightweight and rust-resistant and cool down quickly. But cast alloy
wheels do not significantly reduce a car's un-sprung weight, a key factor in ensuring peak
performance.

Manufacturers like Aston Martin, Audi, BMW and Mercedes Benz were the first to
begin abandoning cast alloy wheels. They fit their performance models with forged alloy wheels -; a
shift that has caught industry and consumer attention.

During the manufacturing process,
technicians subject forged alloy wheels to extreme heat and pressure, resulting in a dense, durable
-; but still lightweight -; material. Forged alloy wheels, while more expensive than their cast
alloy counterparts, provide the ultimate in performance: better cornering, faster acceleration and
improved braking.

Mark Lisnyansky is a board member of "Lightest," a Belgium-based
fabrications company, whose EAD (European Automotive Distribution) subsidiary is a leading designer
and manufacturer of high-end automotive wheels. According to Mr. Lisnyansky, "Forged alloy wheels
use the lightest materials available, yielding fuel savings and a smoother, more maneuverable
ride."

SMW Engineering is another European company educating consumers on what
professional racers have known for many years: Forged wheels go the distance in ensuring top
performance.

High-performance vehicle manufacturers are turning to lightweight forged
alloy wheels to increase driving agility through a 30 percent weight reduction in the wheel. The
use of magnesium instead of aluminum alloy reduces wheel weight by an additional 25 percent.
Furthermore, a forged alloy wheel is about 40 percent stronger than its cast alloy
counterpart.

Although forged wheels are still regarded by many as something exotic, more
appropriate for motorsport use, they do create an opportunity for substantial drive-quality
improvement, which positions them as an investment well worth considering by any automobile
connoisseur.