Haven't Seen Another Single Rally Yet

[Ahlarict]

I love everything else about them. Just can't get past the hubcap looking wheels.

Perhaps they're best when viewed with an engineer's eye?

Italy's OZ Racing has been building the wheels for winning vehicles in every category of motorsport for decades. These guys are mad geniuses at producing high end wheels. OZ's iconic white Rally wheel has a million race-bred features born of experience. Their design has the large center disk for strength and protecting disk brakes, while providing just enough ventilation in the right places through openings in the right shape to keep the disks cool and prevent mud, gravel and debris from building up yet still maintaining strength by having numerous substantial short spokes that move the air and remove debris, making it super strong and stable to stand up to rally punishment. They were successfully balancing a zillion complex factors here, and somehow hit upon a winning formula.

Ford's rally wheels aren't OZ Racing Rally Wheels. They're a sincere homage to them to the extent possible without incurring excessive licensing fees... Because they're built to a certain price point, they won't likely take as much punishment nor hold as tenaciously to a tire bead because they're made to be serviced by semi-domesticated monkeys, not the temperamental geniuses of a racing shop. However, for an EV, the aerodynamic characteristics look pretty darn appealing and likely help offset the rolling resistance penalty of the CrossClimate2 tires. They're also designed to support 19" wheels with more sidewall profile (235/55-R19 square), thus prioritizing function over fashion to provide a better and more comfortable ride than 20" GT wheels. Sure, the GT wheels do a better job of showing off the big Brembos, but Ford's Rally wheels will do the better job of protecting them from dirt and gravel when getting sideways on a logging road. Folks that favor fashion over function have myriad options for ruining the Rally's handling that are discussed in depth here.

Cosmetic beauty may be in the eye of the beholder, but the engineering beauty is manifest and breathtaking.

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[Pez68]

Perhaps they're best when viewed with an engineer's eye?

Italy's OZ Racing has been building the wheels for winning vehicles in every category of motorsport for decades. These guys are mad geniuses at producing high end wheels. OZ's iconic white Rally wheel has a million race-bred features born of experience. Their design has the large center disk for strength and protecting disk brakes, while providing just enough ventilation at the right place in the right shape to keep the disks cool and prevent mud, gravel and debris from building up yet still maintaining strength by having numerous substantial short spokes that move the air and the debris, yet are super strong and stable to withstand rally punishment. They're balancing a zillion factors here, and hit on a winning formula.

Ford's rally wheels aren't OZ Racing Rally Wheels. They're a sincere homage to them to the extent possible without incurring excessive manufacturing costs or licensing fees... They won't take as much punishment and they won't hold up as long. But for an EV, the aerodynamic characteristics look pretty decent and prolly help offset the rolling resistance penalty of the CrossClimate2 tires. They're also designed to support 19" wheels with more sidewall profile, so they prioritize function over trendy fads and provide a better and more comfortable ride than 20" GT wheels. Sure, the GT wheels do a better job of showing off the big Brembos, but the Rally wheels do a better job of protecting them.

Cosmetic beauty may be in the eye of the beholder, but the engineering beauty is manifest and breathtaking.

Great points. Makes a lot more sense when you look at it from that perspective.

 

[Mach1E]

Great points. Makes a lot more sense when you look at it from that perspective.

Definitely takes an engineer to explain why something is ugly. ?

 

[Tosh]

You either love em or you hate em ...

the brake dust really shows!

 

[YeOldeTraveller]

the brake dust really shows!

Doesn't it just.

Love the car, and the look. (I am function first, so don't care beyand a very small point on looks.)

There are times I question the timing of my purchase, but not the purchase itself. This car reliably does exactly what I ask for when I ask for it.

I recently was driving on a dirt road and almost missed a turn. I got just the right amount of drift to line up perfectly with the new road with no drama at all.

 

[Smash Drive]

I can't wait for time off to run some roads ....and still haven't seen another Rally yet on my travels..

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