Quote:
Originally Posted by ironchef
I would agree in normal circumstances, but are the rears going to be a limited production run? Based on a lot of comments in this thread, the Ferodos are really highly rated and many people seem anxious to get them. Why wouldn't they produce them in high quantities?
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On the front vs. rear price issue...this is fairly common with larger pad manufacturers. They buy the components to make their various pads from different sources. A lot of times it comes down to backing plates. They may be the OEM pad supplier on a model that sells 100,000 cars per year. In that case, backing plates are likely cheap and cheerful. If they are only going to sell a few hundred sets per year, that is a far different situation. It may be difficult for them to even have a backing plate manufacturer make the plates! In that case, they may have to custom laser cut or water jet cut backing plates from other existing shapes.
"High quantities" is a relative term. Our idea of a high volume is likely far different from their idea of a high volume.
Also, because the volumes are far lower, production for racing pads is sometimes done in a special "race shop," rather than the main production line. They require special handling and higher production costs.
For all of these reasons, costs can sometimes be higher for a new shape, or a rear vs. a front, etc. It all boils down to their cost, which they have to cover and make their target profit. It's a completely variable cost, based on a long list of items.
On the FT86, the fronts were already a common shape currently being produced by most pad manufacturers. That made it easy. The rear however, was more rare.