Tesla Model S with Brembo Calipers (excludes performance pack) ‘12- Carbon Fiber Brake Pad Shims

HEL Performance have pulled out all the stops when developing their carbon fibre brake pad shims. They've used the finest carbon fibre, combined with an exclusive resin which is non-combustible and thermally resistant to temperatures over 400°C (752°F). This special resin cures an attractive deep orange against the black fibres. These don't just look the part though: initial testing carried out by a professional racing driver in various road and track conditions showed a huge average temperature drop of 49°C (120.2°F) on the front calipers. HEL carbon fibre shims come in at a super-lightweight 3.5 grams per shim, compared to weighty titanium which are a typical 17 grams per shim. That's a dramatic 79% weight saving. That's not the only comparison which makes titanium inferior though: carbon fibre also has a much lower heat conduction compared to titanium (1W/mK compared to 22W/mK for titanium and 65W/mK for steel). Anything that helps reduce the temperature and increase efficiency