29th January 2008 - Brembo Wins First OE Corvette Fitment

First Use of Carbon Ceramic Brake Discs on North America Production Car

Brembo took the opportunity of the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) today to showcase major original equipment (OE) fitments on two of America’s top performance vehicles, including the Corvette ZR1, the highest-performing production car in General Motors’ history.

The 2009 Corvette ZR1 debuting at NAIAS will be the first-ever North American production car to be fitted with Brembo’s state-of-the-art carbon ceramic brake discs (CCM), developed and produced by the company in its Kilometro Rosso R&D Center in northern Italy. In 2004, this leading-edge technology received the “Golden Compass,” the most significant award in Europe for engineering design.

The ZR1, Corvette’s long-awaited and widely praised “supercar,” will join the ranks of Ferrari’s Enzo, Challenge Stradale, FF430, 575 HGTC and 612 Scaglietti, FXX along with the Mercedes SLR, as the only production cars fitted with this technology.

The Corvette ZR1’s Ceramic Brake System includes six-piston front and four-piston rear, aluminum, monobloc calipers with a distinctive “Blue Devil” color and Corvette logo, cross-drilled stainless steel radiators, unique semi-metallic friction materials, dedicated pad noise insulators, as well as the cross-drilled CCM rotors {15.5-in (394 mm) fronts and 15-in. (380 mm) rears

The benefits of the Ceramic Brake System include significant improvement in performance, reduced weight (rotors weigh 6-7 kg), more resistance to corrosion and the longest rotor life in the industry.

“The past year has been nothing short of remarkable at Brembo,” commented Adrian Smith, general manager of Brembo North America.  “With the Harley-Davidson contract and the recent acquisition of Hayes-Lemmerz’ North American plants, the new hi-tech fitments with Corvette and Cadillac are a tremendous opportunity for Brembo to shine in the New Year.”

The basic production of the ceramic composite material is a seven-step process beginning with 1) the mixing of the carbon fibers with the phenol-derived resin.  The mixed raw material are 2) hot molded into a “near net shape” and then subjected to 3) pyrolysis before 4) the infiltration of silicon into the compound. The CCM brake discs are then 5) machined using special diamond grinding technology, 6) protected from oxidation, and 7) finally assembly onto the aluminum hat section.

Quite an extensive technical process, but, after all, doesn’t North America’s top-performing production car deserve the finest brakes in the world?

In addition, Brembo High-Performance already produces a complete line of GRAN TURISMO (GT) kits for big brake upgrades of earlier Corvettes, including C5, C6 and the powerful Z06. The GT system’s level of technology and performance in the aftermarket is unrivalled by any other product on the market.  By utilizing larger calipers and discs, thermal capacity and brake torque are increased.  This potent combination offers the extreme in Brembo’s leading edge technology for high-performance street or track applications.

Brembo, a world leader in engineering, development and production of high-performance braking systems and components, was established in 1961 in Bergamo, Italy.

Brembo is an engineering company with over nine percent of its 5,000 employees dedicated to research, development and innovation.  Brembo has 25 plants and offices in 12 countries worldwide. Each product is designed with performance and styling uniquely matched to the vehicle that it equips. Of equal importance is Brembo’s total commitment to manufacturing and quality assurance. Brembo controls every step of the process, from design to iron casting through to assembly, by means of testing and simulations in the laboratory, as well as on the road and track to assure performance.

Brembo offers a comprehensive line of brake components and systems ranging from original equipment and aftermarket replacement parts, to racing and high-performance upgrades, as well as performance motorcycle components and systems.

As a global supplier, Brembo manufactures over 32 million brake rotors a year for more than 30 different OEMs, including Aston Martin, Audi, BMW, Daimler, Chrysler, General Motors, Ford, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maserati, Mercedes and Porsche. 2006 sales were $1.012 billion

Source: Brembo Press Release