Like most GTs, ours has the optional BBS wheels. In my opinion the standard wheels actually look slightly better than the optional units, but I've always preferred fewer, thicker-spoke designs versus numerous, thin-spoke wheels. The factory wheels use a rather basic six-spoke design that matches well with the GT's classic shape. The 10 spokes on the BBS wheels border on looking too "busy" for my tastes, plus they're more difficult to clean...
However, according to the Ford GT team members I've spoken with, the design of the BBS wheels was driven almost completely by function. In other words, the look of the wheels also serves a functional purpose of being about as light as possible while still offering the strength the GT team needed from the wheels. In this case, the total weight savings when going from the stock wheels to the optional BBS wheels is over 32 pounds. Remember, that's 32 pounds of unsprung weight, which is even more important in terms of driving dynamics than curb weight.
For that kind of weight savings (and performance enhancement), I'm happy to have the "busy" wheels.
Karl Brauer, Editor in Chief, Edmunds.com @ 5,789 miles
drmillerM3 says:
10:48 AM, 03/25/09
The wheels were the first thing I noticed on this car. You could tell they meant business, which I quite like.