Brake specialist Brembo has introduced Flexira, a new high performance aluminium caliper concept that overcomes the limit of the reduced space inside the wheel typical of compact cars

Brembo says that the same guarantee of safe and high performance braking that was previously the exclusive domain of high end and sports vehicles, which represent Brembo's natural market, is now available to manufacturers of high volume production cars with much less extreme characteristics.

The major obstacle for the application of fixed calipers in compact vehicles has always been the lack of space between the disc and the wheel due to the size of the vehicle and the particular architecture of the suspension systems used in these segments.

Flexira was conceived and developed to be able to be inserted in tight spaces, maintaining the functionality and performance typical of a fixed caliper, but at the same time having dimensions similar to those of a floating caliper. The design utilises aluminium external steel sleeves which increases the characteristics of mechanical strength, reducing the axial bulk of the caliper. These cylindrical inserts can be seen on the front surface of the calipers where the logo is usually applied.

The Brembo compact caliper has 38 and 42 mm diameter pistons; a pad with a 72 cm2 surface and 11 mm thick friction material. This solution, patented by Brembo, guarantees a significant reduction in mass compared to the cast iron floating calipers normally used on vehicles in segments A, B and C. This significant reduction of the vehicle’s unsprung weight allows fuel consumption and polluting emissions to be reduced, at the same time increasing the vehicle's dynamic efficiency and reducing moments of inertia. With the introduction of Flexira, Brembo says it has succeeded in combining dimensional optimisation with light weight and design.