Wheels! They’re such an important part of the car because they’re what makes the car roll. No wheels, no drivey, it’s as simple as that. They’re also a crucial piece of a car’s design. Too big, and a car looks silly, like some kind of doofy joke. Too small, and the car looks differently ridiculous, but ridiculous still. Under normal circumstances, a wheel and tire package should neatly fill the guards, with maybe a little tire poke to the outside if you’re going for an edgy tuner look.
Of course, some cultures go to extremes. Donks ride on gigantic wheels, to the point where they look ridiculous and barely operate as a car anymore. The opposite trend was at one point a thing in the lowrider community, where tiny wheels made the cars similarly undrivable, to say nothing of brake clearances, either.
But it comes down to more than just mere size. Personally, I’m a big fan of five-spoke wheels. I think they look great on a whole ton of vehicles, from JDM classics to older American cars, too. I used to run a nice set on my Mazda MX-5, which really made it look quite nice.
As an aside, the benefit of the MX-5 is that here are tons of examples online you can use to guide your wheel choice. Research told me that 15-inch wheels were ideal, and guided me towards the right offset to get the look I was going for. You can see my car in the header image.
I tend to find that vintage cars look better on vintage wheels. I saw a Lada drop-top that looked great on a classic 70s-style spoked design. That car may have come out in the 1990s in Australia, but it looked much older. Thus, the older wheels seemed to work with its general aesthetic.
Similarly, the Holden Hurricane absolutely rocked its unique wheels that were reminiscent of a spinning finned heatsink. Ironically, the lack of ventilation meant they’d probably be terrible for keeping the brakes cool, but they looked like they were high-performance items.
Maybe your tastes differ from mine. Perhaps you love tri-spokes, or those horrible single-spoke wheels that look as unbalanced as the guy sitting by himself in an empty subway carriage. Or maybe you think the C8 Corvette should have come out with a set of 14-inch Watanabes. And speaking of Corvettes: do salad shooters work on everything? Maybe!
Image credits: Alfa Romeo; Lewin Day
The Alfa Romeo wheels with the five circles
For me, it depends on the car. 5-spoke are probably the most versatile, but a dish can be better on some, the right turbine on the right car is great, and a hundred wire spokes just look right on a lowrider or the like.
I also think there’s a place for different colors and materials. I’m really sick of the blacked out everything trend, so I’d probably shy away from black wheels, but it’s not the fault of the wheels.
OZ Futura. But honestly it’s too much to list. I have so many wheels and I’m constantly buying and selling them. I put up a wall of wheels in my garage to display them:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmoIgS3Uw_w
Highly suggest the group Rare Wheel Awareness on FB. So much good stuff.
Great video!
Though my favorite part wasn’t the wheels so much as seeing your targa. (I’m in the middle of replacing the shift linkage bushings on my 911 as apparently 25 years turns them into the consistency of candlewax)
Mine were basically dust when i bought it, shifting was hard. It was the first repair I did to the car, i think. I also modeled them and uploaded to grabcad in case anyone wanted to print their own:
https://grabcad.com/library/porsche-911-shift-coupler-bushings
Fascinating. Later today on my list is replacing shifter bushings on my 996.
I just put a set of Work Equip 03s on my 99 Miata, so right now they are my favorites. May change in the future though
Body color painted steel wheels with dog dish hubcaps
Tweels!
The coffin spoke wheels on the Lancia Stratos HF, especially in yellow with the Alitalia livery:
https://www.lanciastratos.com/repo/immagini/Gallery-zenith-world-stratos-m_3eef15ca01.jpg
In action:
https://www.lanciastratos.com/repo/immagini/lancia-stratos-erik-comas-1_5d49e33409.jpg
Plus, the name is pretty cool 🙂
YMMV but the Ronal Teddy Bear is ineffably cool, especially on Harlequin VWs: https://www.rossvw.com/harlequin/pics/teddy2.jpg
And for even more over the top wheel designs, here’s an article about Courrèges’s wheels: https://kyushashoes.com/courregeswheelstribute/
Yeah, stratos wheel design was a 10/10. Great fitment too!
Another case of YMMV but ineffably cool wheels would be the Mille Miglia daisy wheels, as often seen on New Beetles: https://www.newbeetle.org/attachments/good-lj-jpg.12149/
When VW first came out with the New Beetle in 1997-’98 they provided the staff of either Road & Track or Car & Driver with a New Beetle outfitted with those Mille Miglia wheels; virtually all the men on the staff had meltdowns thanks to their utterly fragile masculinity and refused to drive the NB at all unless ordered to do so by their superiors *eye roll*
The Daisy wheels slap. It’s sad that they are so rare in the wild.
As general rules:
Smaller is better(from the automotive design, not aftermarket) (also, usually cheaper to replace). Don’t force me to bigger wheels with higher trims (talking to you, new Prius).
Give me cushioning for hitting freakin’ potholes.
Other than that, I’m pretty unattached to the designs. Just as long as it’s consistent on all four.
I’m not a fan of steelies, but there’s something to be said for consistency if all four are steelies.
Finally, semis are intimidating enough without the spikes on the front lugs. Please stop with those.
Not just the Prius. It’s what they’re all doing. It is especially baffling in EVs. People want to buy the longest range possible, and companies are putting massive range-decreasing wheels on if they want features. They could sell the smaller wheels as an option, but they won’t even do that.
Spike lug nuts are super stupid and most truckers think they are for fragile menchildren. The only thing they are good for is hurting your shin when you check the oil. My company has banned them on their trucks, and when a new driver put them on, not knowing about the ban, we all made fun of him for his poor taste. Was it nice, was it politically correct to make fun of him? No. But damn, spikes are just stupid. And worst part is, they are plastic covers. Total poser stuff.
Ford’s various basket weave-style wheels, both fine and chunky spoke, from the ’80s onwards.
Found on everything from the Probe to the Crown Vic to the Focus, there’s something enticing about the vaguely retro feel that somehow also connects so well with futuristic-looking sheet metal.
The 5 spoke “coffin” wheels on the Lancia Stratos.
I’m a big fan of the thin multi-spoke design that I think looks good on pretty much anything, with OZ’s Superforgiata probably being the quintessential example.
For OEM wheels the 5th Gen Buick Regal GS had no right to go as hard as it did.
For aftermarket I’ve been digging the Apex VS-5 wheels. Specifically with a deep spoke profile.
The Dunlops on a Jaguar D type/XKSS.
Those are excellent. If I ever build my Bond villan Jaguar XK150, it will be painted in the darkest shade of metallic British Racing Green possible and be sitting on a set of Dunlop wheels.
Hopefully with a “saddle” or “biscuit” interior.
Ok, I have a confession. Wheels are my automotive blind spot, I literally have no opinion on wheels for the most part. I understand lightweight benefits, wheel size, wheel width, etc but as far as style goes, wheels are wheels for me.
IMHO 5 spoke wheels look the best. Had a 97 BMW 328… 16 spokes in each wheel. Took a while too clean those! Toothbrush came in handy.
American Mags, Cragars, both 5 spokes. Classic looks and easy to clean.
Fuchs wheels on first generation Porsche 911
BBS RS
Simple black porthole wheels
Ferrari 5 spoke star
A-Team Van turbines
70’s mag slot wheels
BMW basket weaves
The rims on the Miami Vice Daytona
A-Team Van turbines a very good call.
I’ve always been partial to Enkei RPF-1’s, but that’s mainly because I value weight, price, durability, and then looks in that order.
Volvo V70R 5 spoke – for an OEM
TE37 – aftermarket
Mercedes-Benz color-matching hubcap wheels.
As played out as it is- American Racing Torque Thrust. Fits everything I have seen it on. 64 GTO? Yes. 72 vette? Yes. 79 chevette? Yes. My 87 Crown Victoria? Yes. 98 Grand Prix? Yes. 2017 accord? Yes. 2020 Bullitt? Yes.
It may be overplayed, but it looks good on anything Ive seen it on.
Also one of my faves.
Love the original magnesium Torq-Thrusts. I’ve seen them on Early 911s and Lotus Europa, well back when they were new cars.
Then they made the curvy negative offset ones, and now the “original” Torq-Thrusts that just barely look like the originals.
Its super overplayed, but it looks bad on everything ive seen it on.
TE37’s look fantastic in any color on any car.
Just did this photoshop to prove that:
https://i.imgur.com/Xa72d9v.jpeg
10/10 would do FWD smokey burnouts with that pig.
I just inherited one so I’m trying to find the right wheels for it, and how to lower it. There is zero aftermarket for these things, but smokey burnout will be on the menu.
Ronal Urs FTW!
But mainly 5 spoke alloys, although the 93-94 Ford Probe 3 spoke turbine looking ones are pretty sweet.
I’m a big fan of those 3 spokers too. Ford’s versions of them for that era’s Mustang work well too.