NightOwl

If the 13" F1 wheels are the best compromise, why are Lotus and Pirelli testing 18" rims with low profile tires, claiming it will improve performance, durability and safety?

The changes could be implemented for the 2017 season.

mishar

Just testing doesn't prove anything. Testing just larger wheels with everything else unchanged is way from any final conclusion. Only thing they can find out that way is how bad it will perform over the curbs. I would think more about that when I see Ferrari, McLaren, Red Bull or Mercedes testing 18's.

Just how lost those brakes look there:

A8bil

Yeah...I wasn't speaking specifically to the A8, just in general comparing apples to apples. But if you're running 20s, they're going to be lighter than iron disks.

Not sure where the "extremely high maintenance costs" comes in to play. For most of us, the ceramics would be a "lifetime" solution, i.e., no maintenance other than a pad drop. At the dealer, my brakes are a $1k service (frt only) at the 40k-50k milestone and $1,800 (all 4) from 80k-100k. That adds up quickly, and does not count the loss of use time. Don't know the price of ceramics as an add, but $5,600 for brakes over the normal lifespan is not cheap.

A8bil

Interesting...it's counter-intuitive to believe taller sidewalls will give better overall performance. Perhaps it is at the lighter weight (though they do run some significant downforce) that the taller sidewalls work? But, I can tell you from experience that with our beasts, the shorter sidewall gives you less flex and a more controlled experience in high cornering force applications. Whether that translates to faster, etc. I don't know. I do know the larger, heavier rims do sap HP, however.

MP4.2+6.0

Car & Driver did a same car test of wheel and tire fitments back in 2010 on a Golf. They covered the 16-19" spectrum. Its a transverse platform in all of different weight, performance and drivetrain classes, but at least it gives some comparative sense of pluses and minuses of wheel swapping in a given car. The discussion here is actually about brakes, but some of the voting mass subjects have come in too.

MP4.2+6.0

...hmmm, brakes (or rather, mostly the rotors) way pricy but coming down if you shop long and hard, can decipher the specs and crossovers.

...hmmm, at last check R8 was still on D3/"older" hub center pattern that is subtle on brake rotor crossovers.

...hmmm, R8 front (not rear) ceramic set up is literally the same as D3 for the critical parts; only significant/not usable difference is in the dust/heat/water/shield that I have found.

...hmmm, used R8's getting more rational on price.

...hmmm, D4 not quite getting my fancy and D3 W12 has plenty of life, freshness and uniqueness by me (save for maybe a 2015 W12 circa 2017 CPO).

...hmmm, as someone else flagged, A8 AND R8 are supposed to be the halo cars.

...hmmm, empty nester family now, and have the almost new Q5 alternate snow ride.

Connect the dots. I could get 200K+ miles out of a decent (front) rotor set with more than one way/ride to skin the proverbial cat, and some of the decent pad sets are literally <$100. Even w/ their expense, 20-30x cheaper than added $ in to a newer ride, and I keep stumbling on the real added value with mine well kept up. As a W12, it already checks the novel ride kind of boxes by me. If it stretches the smile factor I still have a few more years while the interesting replacement takes the ever reliable Audi depreciation nose, fun can still pencil out too.

mishar

Shorter sidewall gives deceptive feeling of a better handling. Some bumps and grip is gone because that stiff tire would jump of the pavement. Deeper sidewalls would flex and keep contact with ground. Flax is good. That's why serious racing cars have deeper sidewalls. Lower moment of inertia too.

Speaking about flex in chasing grip:

aTOMic

Mikulik,
You don't say where you live; I'm curious.
Also, google "a8parts uk forum"; they have a good group, and the site is sponsored by an Audi speciality "breaker"(British for what we in the US refer to as a "Junkyard" or car dismantler). You can call them or email for parts availability.
Welcome to AW!
-Tom

EHLO

Here's what someone is doing with their current version S6;
S6 Ceramic Brakes - Retrofit?

Jeff704

I don't think ceramics = really expensive. My 2011 S4 with 44000 miles needed new front pads. I went with Hawk 5.0 performance ceramic pads from Tirerack - $135? for the front set. Very happy with them - no dust. Got StopTech cryo drilled rotors too.
Midas charged me $165 for the install.