Borrani Wheels

For more information on the Borrani wheels you require please contact us at sales@longstonetyres.co.uk

Longstone Tyres are pleased to announce that we are now the UK's official agent for Borrani wheels. We are also the only company in the UK who can arrange to have your Borrani wheels rebuilt by Ruote Borrani in Milan!

On April 22nd, 1922 the Italian company “Rudge Whitworth Milano” was established in Milan, with a share capital of one million, 200 thousand lira. The owner was Carlo Borrani. The business was located at Via Ugo Bassi 9, and its activity was the manufacture and sale of “wheels for cars, motorbikes, cycles and equivalent”.

This was the official beginning of the remarkable Borrani wheel story. Production started with a licence from Rudge Whitworth in Coventry which had registered a patent for mounting a wire wheel on a hub by a unique splined drum, fixed by one central lock nut. This made for easier and faster mounting and dismounting of the wire wheel.

This also aroused the interest from the most important racing cars constructors. After just 12 months in business, Alfa Romeo, Auto Union, Bianchi and Lancia started to equip their racing and de luxe cars with Borrani wheels.

Later in the 30’s the Company modified its name to Carlo Borrani S.p.A. During this same period Borrani started to experiment with light, rigid aluminium rims to replace the usual steel rims.

In 1955 the premises in Via Bassi became inadequate for the rising monthly production volumes, that increased from 1000 to 1200 and then 1500 wheels in the space of 6 years. The name was again changed into “CMR –Costruzioni Meccaniche Rho S.p.A.”, and moved to a new location. The production of wire wheels went on, linked to the Ruote Borrani Milano trademark.

Ten percent of Borrani wheel production was devoted to racing cars. Ferrari was Borranis best customer at that time. This alliance was not accidental, as in 1924 the young Enzo Ferrari ran and won the Acerbo Cup in Pescara with a car equipped with Rudge Whitworth Milano wire wheels.

Borrani also became famous in the motorcycle world as supplier of renowned manufacturers as Benelli, Gilera, Guzzi and MV Agusta. While among car makers even Ford purchased Borrani wire wheels for the first version of its iconic GT40 and used them on their Le Mans race cars. Thousands of national and international victories were achieved on Borrani wire wheels during this period.

After a successful period for wire wheels, the cast-aluminium wheel gradually took over the market as first equipment. Looking for new ways, Borrani started to mount a pressed steel wheel disc in their existing aluminium rims. These ‘Bimetal’ wheels, which were produced already as early as 1954, had their fair share of success and were mounted on famous brands as Alfa Romeo, ASA, Abarth, Fiat, Lancia, Maserati and others.