Do all cars look worse with black wheels?

[The Surveyor]

I've just had the alloys on my Tuscan changed from anthracite to gloss black. Some cars do look better on black wheels don't you think....

[muppets_mate]

I don't like totally black wheels. You lose the contrast between wheel and tyre, unless the calipers are painted, which I'm not sure about, the whole wheel arch (wheel, tyre and arch liner) is just totally black. Also gloss black is 'less worse' than matt black wheels which just look like baked on brake dust and road dirt.

Where black wheels can work is where there is a silver lip to define the rim of the wheel, and visually separate the wheel from the tyre. For example:



Coloured lips generally don't work IMO.

[jeremyc]

muppets_mate said:

Where black wheels can work is where there is a silver lip to define the rim of the wheel, and visually separate the wheel from the tyre.

This as well.

[glazbagun]

Only one I can think of right now is the Impreza RB320. I think black wheels are standard on these and they suit the car well.

[David87]

I love black alloy wheels on pretty much anything.

[IntriguedUser]

I find that black rims almost always look like a modification, like they've been refurbished black with a spray can....

Can't stand them, I find Gunmetal G is a very nice colour which goes nice on most cars.

[Asspec]

Mine left the factory with Black.

[AlexRS2782]

My old Exige S looked far better on the factory black alloys than it ever would have done on silver:



My 205 GTI on black o.e 1.9 Speedlines:



My Mk1 Focus RS on black Compomotive MO6 alloys - again if these were silver they wouldn't go with the carbon fibre exterior trim I had made for the car:

[Rockstar]

muppets_mate said:

Where black wheels can work is where there is a silver lip to define the rim of the wheel, and visually separate the wheel from the tyre.

Agreed It doesn't suit all cars but looks pretty good on this one:

[43034]

Ding fking dong

[-Z-]

Currently trying to convince my BiL to order his F-Type in this spec

[cherie171]

I can't see the point of black alloys. Regardless of the make and model, it just looks as though you're on steels ans lost yout wheel trims.

The only exceptions I don't mind are where you can actually make out the design of the alloy, and a bright citrus colour. The OH had the standard alloys on his Focus ST powedercoated black with a silver flake over the top, it gave them enough shine that you could see them.

[IntriguedUser]

glazbagun said:

Only one I can think of right now is the Impreza RB320. I think black wheels are standard on these and they suit the car well.

Are you blind?

[Man of gas]

Think xkr looks even better with a darker colour

[MC Bodge]

[Rockstar]

43034 said:

Ding fking dong

Oh yes This!

[Mound Dawg]

It doesn't wear the "out of the way please" mirrors and grille now but still all black although the wheels are now matt not shiny.

[F1GTRUeno]

Hungrymc said:

I think almost every photo shows cars looking well on black wheels.

Motorbikes have always looked good on black wheels.

silver wheels have been the standard for 40 years. I think most of us are bored of them (I have a 911 which is silver and has silver wheels - I don't think a change in colour of them would help but they're still boring wheels)

Everybody's tastes are different so to highlight this I think every single photo posted shows exactly why black wheels are awful. Why bother having alloys of any discernible design if you can't see what they look like? Just look like gaping gaps in the cars design.

I can live with anthracite/shadow chrome coloured but black ruins everything.

They're already boring too because they're the done thing nowadays.

[KarlMac]

My Focus ST (factory Panther black alloys)



My Golf GTI (bought it on these wheels, standards were fitted later)



My Impreza STI


I clearly have a thing for darker wheels, but I definitely prefer the smoked Subaru wheels.

[Blu3R]

Just flicked through this thread on an iPhone. Couldn't see any black wheel designs at all, just black areas under the arches. The Gran Tourismo looks 100 times better on silver alloys.