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Fuchs Mercedes-Benz ''Premier'' Forged Alloys
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Fuchs Mercedes-Benz ''Premier'' Forged Alloys
Whether you call them "Baroque" or "Bundt," the forged light-aluminum wheels that debuted as a Mercedes-Benz option in the summer of 1969 became as iconic as the timelessly elegant cars they graced for more than 15 years.Fuchs debuted the mass-produced forged light-alloy wheel in Germany with its five-spoke wheels for the Porsche 911, which became an integral part of the sports-car icon's image. When Mercedes-Benz began offering the 15-spoke alloy wheels as a dealer-installed option in 1969, it, too, turned to the Otto Fuchs Company of Meinerzhagen, near Cologne, for production.To get more news about Steel wire wheel, you can visit nnxwheels.com official website.
The process of forging aluminum, which requires great heat and immense pressure--the presses Fuchs used exerted as much as 7,000 tons of force--realigns the grain structure of the material in the direction of the flow and creates a more homogeneous and less porous microstructure. Forging makes aluminum as strong as steel for less weight and gives the wheels a notably higher resistance to fatigue and corrosion. Some Mercedes-Benz models could save up to 7 pounds per corner of unsprung weight with the forged alloys mounted in place of the standard steel rims and wheel covers.Mercedes sold about 4,600 wheels that first year, optional on the W108 and W109 chassis, which included the 280 S through 300 SEL sedan range.
Known at first as the "Premier" wheel, they soon picked up the colloquial "Baroque" moniker due to their ornate design. Later, due to their shape and passing resemblance to the round cake with the hole in the middle (itself formed with an aluminum pan; alas, not a forged one), they also picked up the "Bundt" name. Although painted silver, those first wheels were not clearcoated. Raised steel inserts in the bolt holes provided added strength, but necessitated the use of different bolts than the standard steel wheels.At first available only in a 14 x 6-inch size, the Baroque wheels were later available in 5.5-inch and 6.5-inch widths. Except for the 600 Pullman limousine models, the alloys were optional on all Mercedes-Benz models by the middle of the 1970s.
Once the wheel became a factory option, buyers got five alloy wheels, including the trunk-stored spare. Because of growing demand, forged wheels gave way to cast wheels of the same design later in the decade. Also during the 1970s, Fuchs manufactured 15 x 7-inch versions as optional equipment, though they remain rare.Given the then-glacial speed with which Mercedes-Benz replaced their platforms, it's no wonder the one wheel style remained in the catalog through the 1985 model year. With the debut of the W201 190E in 1982, a new, slab-sided, 20-spoke wheel became the go-to choice on virtually all Mercedes passenger cars.Today, you can readily find the 14-inch Bundt wheels in abundance at dismantlers and other used-parts sources, though the rare 15-inch wheels carry a hefty price premium over the much more common 14-inchers. Though aftermarket copies are available, most don't have the steel inserts for the lug bolts. Mercedes-Benz Classic also makes the wheels available.