AC Schnitzer Type VIII Forged Alloy Wheels

The new generation of wheels which was specially designed for the more sporting BMW models of the 1-series, 3-series, Z4 and X1, embodies an apparently fundamental contradiction. A reduction in weight with the same unchanged wheel diameter and width.
This trick has been pulled off by the AC Schnitzer engineers and designers in collaboration with legendary wheel manufacturer “FUCHS“. The result is two wheels:

8.5J x 19″ – weight: 8.3 kg
9.5J x 19″ – weight: 9.5 kg

which, in comparison with their standard BMW counterparts (e.g. Performance Twin Spoke 269), give a weight saving of 4.2 kg per wheel.

This leads to a reduction in gyroscopic forces of 33.6 % on the axles, and as a result brings a perceptible improvement in cornering handling with a simultaneous increase in driving pleasure.

If the tyres are included in the equation, the result is even clearer: a BMW 335i with BMW Performance wheels type 269 in 19” and runflat tyres weighs 25 kg more than its AC Schnitzer counterpart (without runflat).

Manfred Wollgarten, responsible for chassis setup at AC Schnitzer, describes the difference in driving sensation as follows: “25 kg unsprung mass less on the car is a huge amount. The car’s handling is immediately much better.”

He explains this phenomenon as: “If you have 25 kg spinning around the axles, the weight – depending on speed – feels up to 4 times as much. So the AC Schnitzer Type VIII forged alloy wheels and the tyres we offer are saving 100 kg in driving dynamic terms in comparison with the BMW with Performance wheels. And that is sensational.”

Because of the special material structure, the design of the Type VIII forged alloy is slimmer that that of other members of the Type VIII wheel family.

Now that the third design is available, the Type VIII wheel family is complete. Naturally the 1-piece wheels and the forged racing rims remain a fixture in the AC Schnitzer range.

The new Type VIII forged alloy wheel is available in the following sizes for the vehicles listed:

Vehicles:
BMW 1-series (E81, E82, E87, E88)
BMW 3-series (E90, E91, E92, E93, M3 E90, M3 E92, M3E93)
BMW 5-series (E60, E61, M5 E60)
BMW 6-series (E63, E64, M6 E63, M6E64)
BMW X1 (E84)
BMW X3 (E83)
BMW Z4 (E89, E85, E86)

Wheel type: Forged alloy Type VIII
Construction: One-piece
Production: Forged and milled star, drawn outer bed
Dimensions: 8.5J x 19″ & 9.5J x 19″