msquito

I just bought a 95 S6 avant, and it came with two sets of rims (unfortunately neither were the stock). I don't particularly care for the rims that came with the summer tires (rondell type 69 and pirelli 7000) and am looking to sell and replace them. I'd like to get a set of the avus rims, and was hoping somebody could wise me up to the differences between the OEM and the replicas (besides obviously the price). Is it a case of the same manufacturer, and the OEMs carrying a significant markup because they went through audi's hands, or is there a real material difference in the wheels? thanks much

msquito

audisrock

If I remember right, replicas tend to weigh a little more than the OEM's.

msquito

ok, so they are not the same wheel then...

how does the added weight affect performance? If its just a matter of the extra few pounds per rim, hypothetically, if I were to diet a bit, would I get the same performance from my car? Is the added weight a product of different metals in the rims, or thicker sidewalls etc? thanks

mustbeaudi

It's not just gross vehicle wt that matters. Unsprung weight, that part that is not supported by the suspension (this includes the body, but not the calipers, for example), affects handling. Heavier wheel/tire combo has more inertia and more resistance to force. More mass = more bounce, less mass = less initial resistance and inertia to overcome when starting and stopping and handling road imperfections. Subtle differences, perhaps. I have not experimented, but lighter is better according to all sources.