Borrani

Ruote Borrani S.p.A. (established 1922 in Milan) is an Italian manufacturer of automobile and motorcycle wheels. They are known for supplying Rudge-Whitworth design centerlocking wire wheels to many Italian racing cars, sports cars and luxury cars. thumb|Borrani wheel on an Aston Martin DB4|alt=Borrani wheel on an Aston Martin DB4 ==History== The company was initially named Rudge-Whitworth Milano, as the splined centerlock hub mechanism was licensed from the Coventry-based Rudge-Whitworth, which had developed the patents since 1908. It was run by Carlo Borrani at Via Ugo Bassi 9, and quickly became supplier for Alfa Romeo, Bianchi, Lancia and other racing cars, used by such drivers as Enzo Ferrari when winning the first Coppa Acerbo in Pescara (1924). Borrani wheels used aluminum alloy rims instead of steel, improving unsprung mass and thus overall performance compared to the original Rudge-Whitworth design. Leadership transferred to the founder's son, Cesare Borrani, in 1937.

The company name was changed to Ruote Borrani S.p.A. in the 1930s, due to Benito Mussolini's campaign to remove English loanwords from the Italian language. Around this time the company also began manufacturing aluminum (non-wire) wheels to replace steel wheels. These bimetal cast-aluminum wheels were standard on Maserati 3500.