Science!
 

Objective proof that weight reduction improves performance, with significant implications for general engine efficiency! Science!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=csSWprl81CI

Been done before :-)

With lots of numbers....
SCC Technical Assistance Program

Where they started...
http://www.nerocam.com/SCC_Images/image003.jpg

Actually one of Hot Rod magazine's most famous articles 'Caddy Hack' from 1987.
"The staff took a ’70 Cadillac Coupe De Ville, loaded it with dudes and surfboards to make it weigh 6,780 pounds and ran 17.22 at 80.01 mph at the dragstrip. Then they cut the entire body off the car, reducing weight to 2,900 pounds and improving e.t. to 13.55 at 100.83"

Problem with weight reduction is it pretty much has to be designed into the car from the ground up then use the power of mass production and buying in bulk to make it cost effective.
If I wanted to put lighter wheels on my leaf it would cost hundreds of dollars per wheel even after I factor in selling my old ones.

I always refer to this guy on the TL forum. He cut 800 lbs from his ride.

https://acurazine.com/forums/3g-tl-p...st-1-a-610974/

If I ever want to go faster, I'll take the motorcycle.

Colin Furze did some weight reduction here: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=TVJLItZAax4

So this one made me laugh out loud with the surprise victory. You knew they were in trouble when they declared but their front splitter would produce more downforce and help them get traction at launch. How does a splitter create downforce when the car is still? Weight reduction with everything in this particular contest.

Besides the bean-counters not willing to spend a little more on each new car, which on the other hand could enable selling light-alloy wheels for more as an option, explaining the benefits of weight reduction for the average Joe seems harder than doing so for a commercial operator who would benefit from both the increased fuel efficiency but also from a slight increase to the payload of a vehicle, or in performance-oriented specialty models.