Ceramic brake discs: they're cool

By Alastair Sloane

What's the first thing that comes to mind about ceramics? Tiles, powerline insulators, spark-plugs, old salt-glazed sewerage pipes perhaps?

How about brakes? No? Well, Porsche is about to change forever the popular role of ceramics. The German sports car company is using a composite ceramic compound to build brake discs.

The substance will look nothing like the glazed tiles in your bathroom or the trendy Butler sink in the kitchen. But it will bring a high-speed Porsche to a stop quicker than anything else the carmaker has used.

The technology is a world first, says Porsche, and marks a revolutionary step into the future of car brakes.

"It will set a new benchmark in every respect - for example, when it comes to decisive criteria such as brake response, fading resistance, weight and service life," says the company.

The downside of traditional metal discs is that once they get hot they lose their stopping power. But with the new technology brake temperature is no longer a crucial factor in stopping distances.

"Both the ceramic disc and all-new composite metal brake linings retain their high level of friction regardless of whether they are hot or cold," says Porsche.

"This not only shortens stopping distances by a couple of often decisive metres, but also spares the driver unpleasant surprises when, braking from high speed, he has to push down on the pedal even harder."

The ceramic disc is similar in size to a conventional metal disc but is 50 per cent lighter. This can, depending on the size of the disc, reduce the weight of the car by up to 20kg and, apart from obvious fuel savings, improve shock absorber responses.