O.Z. Classe Wheels
It's a very ugly sound, the grawnching noise of an alloy wheel grinding along a concrete curb. It's downright tragic how quickly an expensive, gleamingly perfect wheel can be ruined by a few inches of misjudged steering input, and until recently there wasn't much to do about it except live with a tattered wheel or fork out big bucks to replace it.
O.Z., one of the world's most respected wheel manufacturers, had a better idea, debuting a solution to damaged wheel lips on its Classe line of wheels. This elegant, open-spoke design is especially distinctive because of O.Z.'s patented stainless-steel removable lip. This lip allows the owner to replace, in the field, a damaged one, making it remarkably simple to maintain that showroom new look. Available in a satin silver finish, the Classe comes in a range of applications for today's premium luxury cars, including Mercedes-Benz, Audi and Jaguar vehicles, initially in 18- and 19-in. diameters.
O.Z. was established in 1971, in a small gas station in Rossano Veneto, Italy, by two partners, Silvano Oselladore and Pietro Zen, hence the O.Z. name. In 1972 O.Z. moved to Mottinello, Italy, into an old spinning mill, where alloy wheels with gravity technology were first cast in metal molds. By 1978, the company had grown into a new factory, and in 1984, O.Z. Racing was created. It soon was supplying wheels to Formula One teams, and in 1993 it introduced forged magnesium wheels to the sport, when it was on Alain Prost's championship Williams. An internal Design Center was set up in 1994 to further the company's brand identity and develop a wider range of street applications. The U.S. racing scene first saw O.Z. in 1996, and just a year later its wheels were on the CART, Indy 500 and IRL champion cars, a feat O.Z. repeated again the following two years.
European car has used O.Z. wheels on several project cars, and we've always been impressed by their obvious quality of build and durability. With this new replaceable lip, O.Z. again has combined technology with style to come up with a better idea. Who said you can't reinvent the wheel?
O.Z. Wheels (305)471-0042 (888) 697-2246 (dealer info) www.ozwheels.com
Hids4less Lighting
One of our favorite nighttime activities is driving on favorite roads unhampered by daytime traffic. However, in some cars, the fun quickly turns to frustration when you're constantly outrunning weak headlamps. Fortunately, you don't have to shell out big bucks for a new car with advanced xenon headlamps just to get good lighting. Just contact HIDS4LESS for one of its wide selection of xenon retrofit kits, and with a couple of hand tools, basic mechanical skills and a minimum of time, bring your vehicle's lighting up to the latest standards (legality varies from state to state, so double check the laws in your area).
All HIDS4LESS kits are comprised primarily of components sourced from the OEMs that supply such carmakers as BMW, Audi and Mercedes-Benz. All kits are assembled in the U.S., though the system's main components are from Germany.
HID stands for High Intensity Discharge, a technology that uses xenon gas as the lighting medium, which delivers a whiter, brighter light than standard halogen bulbs.
Each system consists of two xenon bulbs, two electronic ballasts (electronic control units), and two built-in igniters (inside the ballast). Two types of ballast are offered, an integrated unit with inverter and igniter as one, or a two-piece system that allows for greater mounting options.
The advantages of xenon lighting begin, of course, with increased output-three times greater than halogen. HID also approximates the color temperature of sunlight, so objects at night look more natural than with other lighting, and HIDs use one-third less power than standard headlamps.