Brembo, a world leader in the design and manufacture of braking systems for the automotive industry, presents a new family of aluminium calipers for high-end cars at the 66th edition of the Frankfurt Motor Show.
The new fixed caliper, available in 17-inch (5.9 kg in weight), 18-inch (7.7 kg) and 19-inch (8 kg) versions, is the optimal solution for cars with discs with a high braking surface. Such discs usually require generously-sized calipers, which entails an increase in weight.
However, with the new caliper, which has only recently gone into production, Brembo has instead managed to combine a size optimised for discs with high braking surfaces with remarkable lightness. To achieve this result, Brembo has devoted over 100,000 hours of development to the project since late 2011.
The distinctive feature of this caliper is the new shape, centred on five openings: two at the front, of between 16 and 22 cm2 , and three on the bridges, with an area of between 7 and 11 cm2 .
This solution, patented by Brembo, ensures a mass reduction of about 8% as a result of the reduction in the material at the points in the caliper with least stress. Such a significant weight reduction in the unsprung mass of the vehicle means a reduction in fuel consumption and pollutant emissions.
The particular emphasis in the design of the caliper allowed the need for lightness to be reconciled with that of stiffness and performance. The use of the 5 openings does not entail any loss of performance in the braking system.
Brembo has also given special attention to the aesthetics of the new family of calipers. Through a co-design approach with each OEM customer, Brembo will be implementing solutions specifically tailored to individual car models in order to complement each manufacturer's different design style.
