The work is aimed at evaluating the feasibility of the diecasting process, applied to discontinuously reinforced aluminium alloys. The potential of metal matrix composites has been limited, up to now, by the high costs associated to manufacturing and machining. The possibility of producing near net shape components by means of casting processes represents an interesting chance, but various technological aspects have to be deeply investigated (castability, distribution of reinforcement, possible defects, final properties). In this paper, the possibility of producing industrial components by diecasting Al matrix composites is explored.