When the all-new Mustang Mach 1 Handling Package hits the road this spring, it will feature wheels inspired by construction and engineering feats like bridges, roll cages, and even bird’s nests, according to designers at Ford Motor Co. in Dearborn.
Using a layered construction design typically reserved for show cars and other non-production vehicles, the cast aluminum wheels bring with them on-track benefits such as structural integrity for hard cornering and about a two-pound weight drop from the standard Mach 1 wheels, despite being one inch wider.
“(The new wheel is) the result of a whole lot of engineering, a lot of design and a little artistic talent,” says Mark Kaski, the Ford designer credited with creating the Handling Package wheels. “And there was probably some magic involved.”
The layered construction provides a three-dimensional appearance. “There aren’t many in the industry doing layering like this on a production wheel,” Kaski says.
The wheels feature long straight lines behind shorter, angled lines that are inspired by bird’s nest and bridge truss construction. The Y-spoke design is influenced by Ford ST wheels and their overall design influenced by Mach-E GT prototype wheels.
“In some ways I see the wheels as jewelry for the vehicle,” “This design is different than anything we’ve ever done, but I think it’s perfect for this new Mach 1. It’s going to influence Mustang wheel design going forward.”
