Abstract: A carbon fibre vehicle wheel including a wheel body having a rim portion and a face portion, the rim portion having an annulus structure configured to receive and seat a tyre. The face portion includes a hub configured to fix the wheel to the vehicle. A connection structure extends between and interconnects the hub and the rim. The wheel body has an inner side configured to face a wheel mount of the vehicle, and an outer side configured to face outwardly when connected to the wheel mount. The wheel body embodies a first carbon fibre composite composition including a carbon fibre layup infused with a first resin, and a fascia layer attached to at least a portion of the face portion of the outer side of the wheel body. The fascia layer embodies a second fibre composite composition including a selected fibre layup infused with a second resin.

Abstract: A method of molding a fibre-reinforced composite wheel using a mold assembly. The mold assembly includes an annular rim mold portion for defining an outer surface of a rim of the wheel and a disc mold portion for defining a front surface of a disc portion of the wheel. The method comprises the steps of: locating at a first part of reinforcement fabric within the mold assembly around the rim mold portion; locating at a second part of reinforcement fabric within the mold assembly over the disc mold portion; sealing the mold assembly with a flexible mold element to form a substantially fluid tight mold cavity, the flexible mold element comprising a flexible polymer component for defining an inner surface of the rim of the wheel and a rear surface of the disc portion of the wheel; introducing a resin into the mold cavity by withdrawing air from the mold cavity through an inlet at a convenient location on the mold assembly; and curing the resin to form an integral fibre-reinforced composite wheel.