ABOUT
THE LITESPEED RACING STORY
Litespeed Racing was founded in 2006 with one goal: Use advanced material and structural engineering to make the worlds best light weight performance accessories for race and street cars. In 2006, we began manufacturing carbon fiber engine bay covers to fit Audi and VW vehicles. This was the first step, that lead to over a decade of carbon fiber and composite engineering, manufacturing and design. By 2010 Litespeed Racing produced a collection of some of the worlds lightest, and best sounding titanium exhaust systems.
Saving 50 or more pounds with a titanium exhaust system is great, but saving 40 or more pounds in unsprung wheel weight is even better. So in 2012 we began development on the worlds fist solid forged composites carbon fiber 3 piece wheel center.
Today Litespeed Racing has done the unimaginable by creating a wheel that is even lighter than carbon fiber! Our RS5 monoblock made from our proprietary forged magnesium alloy is capable of being even lighter than a full carbon fiber wheel.
Litespeed Racing has done the unimaginable by creating a wheel that is even lighter than carbon fiber.
By reducing the weight of your cars wheels, you can improve the performance of the car. Braking, acceleration and fuel economy can all be improved, along with handling. New wider wheels allow the customer to fit wider tires on their car, for even more improvements in performance. Litespeed Racing offers custom design options that also improve the look of your the car, and allow the you to put their own personalized touch onto your car.
Light weight is Litespeed Racing’s number one advantage. In many cases Litespeed Racing offers the lightest possible wheel option for a specific of sizes/car fitments. Our new proprietary forged magnesium can even be lighter than a full carbon fiber wheel.
EXPERIENCE
Founded in 2006, Litespeed Racing has over 12 years of manufacturing and engineering experience , and a proven track record of quality race and street car products plus top notch customer service.
AWARDS
Litespeed Racing has won 5 Global Media Awards for best new product at SEMA (the worlds top automotive aftermarket trade show)
CUSTOMIZATION
Litespeed Racing offers almost endless customization options, so each customer can get the wheel that perfectly fits his or her needs.
ENGINEERING
Litespeed Racing’s main focus is using material and structural engineering to produce lighter wheels. This innovative approach to wheel manufacturing has lead to the development of very innovative products, like our proprietary forged magnesium alloy that is over 20% lighter than forged aluminium and boast higher tensile strength than standard forged aluminum.
Each Litespeed Racing wheel starts with finite element analysis (FEA) computer load simulations , to fine tune every aspect of the design, from the material thickness to radius size and joint intersections. Then each design is tested at a 3rd party testing facility according to Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) protocols. Also Litespeed Racing wheels are tested with both track and real world street driving.
All Litespeed Racing wheels are 100% forged 6061 T6 aluminum or our proprietary forged magnesium alloy. The forging process starts with a vastly superior raw material compared to the casting or flow forming process , as true forged wheels use 6061-T6 aluminum , which is a stronger raw material than the aluminum used for casting or flow forming wheels. Only true forged wheels use 6061-T6. The forging process also increases the strength of the aluminum or magnesium by aligning the grain structure of the material and eliminating micro voids.
Each wheel is precision cnc milled to create a well balanced and beautiful final product. After the cnc milling process , the wheel is then powder coated using one of the best finishing facilities in the business. Because each wheel is custom made, there are almost endless color and finish options including brushed, polished , solid tone, gloss, satin, matte and two tone. We also offer real carbon fiber overlays and inlays to make your wheel stand out from the rest.
Litespeed Racing has been in business since 2006 and has always been sharply focused on engineering ultra light weight performance products that not only look good but that actually improve the performance of your vehicle. We recently dyno tested out ultra lightweight forged magnesium RS5 wheel verus and OEM wheel and gained 10 horsepower and 10 foot pounds of torque by reducing the rotational mass of the wheels.
Litespeed Racing has a long race history, from being used on Michael Essa's Formula Drift championship winning car, to being used on Scott Birdsall record breaking Pikes Peak hill climb run, to being used on the Optima Ultimate Street Car Challenge GT class winner. Litespeed Racing wheels have also been used on a number of 1/2 mile record setting BMW M cars and Shift S3ctor class winning 911 turbo s.
Litespeed Racing's proprietary forged magnesium wheels start at only 9.8 pounds for 16 inch and are almost always the lightest wheels available for any specific size and fitment, and they come with our commitment to engineering and testing. Magnesium is the lightest of structural metals, but not all magnesium is the same. Our magnesium is alloyed with small amounts of stabilizing elements to make it both stronger and more corrosion resistant. This is not to be confused with the old school cast magnesium wheels of yesteryear. Our forged magnesium actually has a higher tensile strength than forged aluminum and a higher fatigue strength than forged aluminum. Litespeed racing has spent years testing and fine tuning the art and science of forged magnesium wheels. All areas of the wheel have been tested and proven before releasing to the public, from the alloying percentages , to the load rating requirement , to the best finishes that work with forged magnesium. Litespeed Racing is really the world leader in forged magnesium wheel technology.
WHY BUY A LITESPEED RACING WHEEL?
TESTING
Every Litespeed Racing wheel is first tested using FEA computer load simulations, according to SAE and VIA guidelines. The the physical wheel is tested in certified third party laboratories according to SAE testing protocols . The final testing is real world street and track validation.
WEIGHT VS. STRENGTH
Every racer wants the lightest wheel possible. In the pursuit for weight reduction, strength and stiffness can sometimes be overlooked . Wheel flex and tire movement can be as much of a time penalty as added weight. Increased stiffness can help to prevent wheel flex, and improve handling , but added stiffness also mean a stronger, and more durable wheel. F1 race wheels are frequently replaced because they are designed to have a very short useable lifespan. This is why they can be so light. For your personal car, you might not be willing to replace your wheels every few races. Litespeed Racing strongly recommends our stiffer styles for road course and autocross racing. The GT10, C5, RS20 and C10 are not our lightest wheels, but they are super strong and better suited for track use. Our lightest wheels like RS5 and VS10 are best suited for drag racing and straight line racing.
ARE THEY SAFE FOR STREET/TRACK?
All Litespeed Racing wheels are tested according to SAE standards and are safe for street use. There currently is no official SAE testing standard for race use. Racing puts very high loads on all parts of your car, including the wheels, tires, brakes and other components. Litespeed racing forged magnesium and forged aluminum wheels have been successfully tested on road course and autocross courses across the world. We recommend our stiffer designs, like GT10 and C10 , RS20 and C5 if you plan to track your car.
Litespeed Racing RS5 has been used on a number record setting quarter mile and half mile race cars, and is a great option for shaving off some extra weight for top speed racing, straight line racing.
MORE INFORMATION:
Litespeed Racing was founded in 2006 with one goal: Use advanced material and structural engineering to make the worlds best light weight performance products for race and street cars. Today Litespeed Racing makes custom performance wheels for some of the world's fastest cars, including record setting Mclaren 720s, Shelby GT500, BMW M3 and BMW M4, along with bespoke wheels for street cars who want the ultimate in light weight forged wheels.
Every Litespeed Racing wheel is engineered with FEA computer stress simulations and tested via SAE protocol. Each Litespeed Racing wheel is 100% custom made to order, and includes custom sizes, colors, finishes and even custom designs. Litespeed Racing uses some of the industries best wheel forgings to create beautiful concave wheels that are custom made to fit your car's exact size, offset and brake clearance requirements. Every wheel can even be made as a centre lock wheel for applications like the Porsche GT3 RS center lock wheel or Porsche 911 turbo center lock wheel. Litespeed Racing does not make lower quality flow formed wheels, we only manufacture the highest quality true forged wheels, with the strength and lightweight that only a true forged rim can offer.
Litespeed Racing has won 5 Global Media Awards at SEMA for best new product of the year for our light weight wheel technology. The reason is because we make wheels lighter than any of the big name wheel brands.
Litespeed Racing’s endless pursuit of weight reduction has resulted in some of the worlds lightest custom wheels. From ultra light weight forged magnesium wheels, made with our proprietary high tensile strength magnesium alloy, to bespoke precision machined 3 piece forged aluminum wheels, Litespeed Racing can build the perfect wheel for every performance enthusiasts needs.
Litespeed Racing wheels are sold directly by Litespeed racing. All pricing is here on our FULL PRICE LIST
Each wheel is a totally custom made bespoke product. Litespeed Racing does not carry inventory and does not have pre-made wheels on hand. Production time includes drafting 3D CAD data , CNC programing, ordering raw material, lathing, CNC milling, hand finishing, powder coating and sometimes labor intensive carbon fiber work.
Production time ranges from 8 weeks for aluminum to 10 weeks for magnesium. Sometimes there are delays that are outside of Litespeed Racing’s control, and some wheels can take over 10 weeks. We will always keep you up to date on the current status of your wheel production.
Litespeed Racing will repair or replace any manufacturers defects while in possession of original owner for 3 years after purchase.
Damage from normal wear and tear is not considered a manufacture defect and will only be repaired or replaced at a fee set by Litespeed Racing, based on the extent of the damage. Damage caused from excessive abuse while racing is not considered a manufactures defect. Litespeed Racing does not reimburse for labor, tire mounting fee, vehicle damages or other fees that my be incurred as a result of using Litespeed Racing products including fees incurred as a result of product defects.
Modifying a vehicle's wheels, tires and or suspension are done at the owner's risk. Litespeed Racing does not accept any responsibility for personal property damage and or bodily harm that may arise from the modification of the vehicle's wheels, wheel size, offset, tires, and or suspension, this includes the rare case of wheel failure.
Each wheel is hand finished (buffing and powder coat/ paint ) and therefore there may be very small inconsistencies in the finish ( small amounts of orange peel, small swirls or other small inconsistencies might be present). These are due to the nature of being hand finished, and not consider manufactures defects. Small paint blemishes on the inside of the rime where the tire mounts and on the inside rim edge that is hidden when the wheel is on the car will not be repaired for free, as these are unsee parts of the wheel and they may have a "B" level surface finish.
Most wheel pictures on the internet have been edited to enhance there appearance, and the actual color and finish of the real wheels may vary from pictures found on the internet and social media. Therefore be aware that your real wheel color might not look exactly the same as it looks on social media or internet. No free refinishing because the color or finish is not what you expected.
This wheel is 100% custom made according to each customer's color and finish, size, offset and style request. Each Litespeed Racing customer will have different , size color and fitment requirements, and therefore no returns or exchanges are ever accepted. Once the production process has begun, there is absolutely no refund of deposit. By placing the 50% deposit you are agreeing to purchase the set of wheels, or forfeit your deposit .
Normal production is 6-10 weeks, but at times there are supplier delays that are outside of the control of Litespeed Racing, and therefore there is no refund, return, or discount because of production delays.
All warranty repairs or wheel replacements will require the customer to pay for one way shipping of the damaged wheel(s) back to Litespeed Racing. (Most wheel brands require that the customer pays for round trip shipping).