Quote:
Originally Posted by JasH
Interesting point 
It would be interesting to know what the wheel width limit is for that.
I am pretty sure that BMW used skinny tyres for fuel economy alone though. |
They certainly did use thinner tires for reduced rolling resistance (fuel economy benefit). That efficiency also aids in performance. However, the air curtain effect is compromised, if the width of the tires intrudes the air flow around the car. From the front of the car, there are slits in the front fascia that direct air around the car. This is part of what aids in getting the .26 drag coefficient.
The real question is......how much would a driver detect in the difference of the aero at that point? At normal (speed limit) speeds, probably none at all. At high speeds, it may be much more detectable.
No expert here. Just stating what the engineers were attempting to accomplish with the car.
That said.....if you ever plan on autocrossing your i8 or any other type of racing where constant stopping and starting is required, DEFINITELY change the size of the wheels.
