Here’s news that could stop you in the middle of the track—or road. The coveted, gleaming alloy wheels on display in shops may not be the real McCoy. They are good looking, no doubt. But alloy wheels are supposed to do much more than enhance the aesthetic contours of your car.

Alloy wheels are made of aluminium or magnesium alloys and carbon fibre. They are much lighter than the steel regulars, but provide superior strength. They are also better at dissipating heat, which means the possibility of brake failure is significantly less. The rigid metals in the aluminium cast prevent cracks and increase the overall safety. To top it all, these wheels improve steering, enhance braking response and reduce unsprung weight (the rotating mass at the ends of your suspension components).

The alloys available in India are strong and safe, but much like everything else, the cost-cutting involved is at the expense of quality. Most of the imported alloys come from Southeast Asia—Taiwan, Thailand and Malaysia—and are made of material that’s not necessarily top quality. There are only two companies that make alloy wheels in the country, but both use Indian or Asian alloys. So they are good for a cosmetic makeover, not for enhancing power or making the vehicle fuel efficient.

Automobile expert Dilip Chhabria agrees. “We don’t get the high performance alloys because they are too expensive,” he says, adding, “Sometimes, the alloy wheels are even heavier than the normal ones.”

With the western alloy imports way too costly—carbon fibre wheels come for Rs 95,000 per piece—Indian motor owners can, at best, derive benefits only in the looks department. Says I.V. Rao, R&D chief, Maruti Udyog: “There is no difference in performance, speed or mileage whether you use alloy wheels or the traditional ones.”

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