Smaller Offset Wheels or Spacers - How is S3 Handling Affected?

[Cheese]

My 2010 S3 comes with 18" 7.5J ET54 wheels. These are 11.5kg. My question is to all those with spacers or lower offset wheels fitted - how has it affected the handling of the car? I am particularly interested in the opinions of those who have just fitted spacers with standard wheels.

I am still mulling over a few options for new wheels - BBS CH-R (19" 8.5J ET48, 11kg), MTM Bimoto (19" 8.5J ET50, 13.5kg) and now OZ Ultraleggera (19" 8J ET45, 9kg) as well. There is no OEM wheel that I like more than my current 18" and that would still be a good fit so if I change it will be aftermarket.

In my opinion:

- MTM are easily the best looking, but are heavy and the most expensive. They are well proven on the S3, including lowered cars and won't rub
- OZ are lightest and cheapest and I like how they look - however, I am concerned at the large change in offset (S3 is designed for ET56 wheels)
- BBS are a compromise somewhere in the middle on all aspects and I don't favour the looks over the other two

Useful Link:
There are three important things to remember with relation  to offset

 

[Cheese]

Here is a very interesting article on a similar matter:
Effects of Upsized Wheels and Tires Tested - Tech Dept. - Car and Driver

Going from stock to MTM would yield a 12% - 13% increase in wheel weight (where wheel = rim + tyre). Based on the figures in this article I guess the 0-60 would increase by 1 tenths and the 0-100 would increase by 2 or 3 tenths.

I have gone a bit off topic here as I was posting a question about handling! Still, I think it is interesting.

 

[Cheese]

Answers of "...it had no discernible affect on the handling..." are perfectly valid. I just want to get a feel for what to expect - don't want to spend out on expensive lightweight wheels only to find they don't actually offer an advantage over the heavier, better looking ones...

 

[TimG]

TBH I cant say I have ever really noticed a change in handling on any of my cars even with 25mm spacers. Unless your tracking the car and are concerned about the odd kg or 10th of a second saving I wouldn't get to hung up on it all for the minor differences all of what you are talking about will bring to a road car.

 

[Cheese]

Thanks TimG. I guess my thinking is that the difference between 13.5kg (MTM) and (9kg) OZ was quite a lot and I have heard a lot of people say it affects the car's turn-in which I don;t think is the best as it is.

 

[TimG]

On a car weighing like 1.5T your are really not going to notice a few kg's, particularly on the road! Probably similar to the difference between pinching a loaf before going for a drive!

All weight, particularly unsprung weight is bad, but as said on the track maybe worth the bother on the road debatable IMO....

 

[poli84]

I think I have certainly noticed a difference in steering feel since i installed spacers (10mm front/12mm rear).
Steering feels heavier and certainly has more overall feel to it.
Put this down to increase in track.
I really like it, steering feels great.