Light alloy wheel for vehicle and method and apparatus for producing same

A light alloy wheel for a vehicle (30) comprising a disc portion comprising a hub portion and a design portion and a rim portion, the design portion having as-die-cast spoke portions having a taper angle of less than 5.0 DEG . This wheel can be produced by using a casting apparatus comprising a die assembly comprising at least a stationary lower die and a movable upper die, a movable platen to which the upper die is fixed, a first cylinder and at least three synchronous second cylinders mounted onto a frame of the apparatus for moving the movable platen; driving the first cylinder to slowly reduce the clamping force of the lower die and the upper die; synchronously driving the second cylinders to elevate the movable platen in parallel from a position at which the lower die and the upper die are clamped to a position at which the wheel would not impinge on the lower die even if the movable platen were slanted; and then further elevating the movable platen by the first cylinder.