New Shelby Mustang to Sport Oz Carbon-Fiber Wheels

The wheels may be coming off the Australian auto manufacturing industry, but Australian wheels are going on an iconic American car.

Carbon Revolution has won the contract to supply Ford with its 1-piece carbon-fiber wheels for the new Shelby Mustang GT350R.

“The result is a weight savings of 40%-50% over aluminum equivalents in an area of the vehicle where weight is the most critical,” the company says on its website.

Details of the deal with Ford have not been released, but the Australian government, presiding over the impending manufacturing departure of Ford, GM Holden and Toyota, is quick to take credit.

“Funding from the Geelong Region Innovation and Investment Fund has been very important in helping Carbon Revolution to develop products for the global automotive market,” Industry and Science Minister Ian Macfarlane says in a statement.

The A$29.5 million ($21.7 million) investment fund includes A$15 million ($11 million) from the federal government; A$4.5 million ($3.3 million) from the Victoria state government; A$5 million ($3.7 million) from supplier Alcoa; and A$5 million from Ford.

Carbon Revolution, based in Geelong, Victoria, 45 miles (75 km) southwest of Melbourne, emerged from an independent R&D program providing technology mentoring to university teams involved in Formula SAE campaigns.

Carbon Revolution received A$5 million from the fund toward its A$24 million ($17.8 million) purpose-built manufacturing facility. The plant will have maximum capacity for annual production of 50,000 carbon-fiber wheels for the automotive industry.