'nother wheel thread

[wolfracesonic]

The 'Under wheeled thread' got me thinking why we now have such a wide range of humongous wheels, 19'' and 20'' not being uncommon, even diesel hatchbacks running 17'' wheels even in poverty spec. Up until the mid 80s even supercars seemed to be limited to 16'' till the 512TR appeared with 17'' wheels. Was there some giant leap forward in wheel/tyre manufacturing technology or did designers just not consider anything larger than 16''?

[Frances The Mute]

Prevailing trends are such that people are more than happy to spend an insane amount of options.

Basically, it's a mixture of stupid people, clever marketing and the incessant need to keep up with the Jones' amongst those who know very little or nothing about the subject to start with.

[Matt UK]

I think it all started with the concept cars. To appear modern they drew them low and long with massive wheels and minimal gap between rubber band tyre and arch. The trend then made IRS way onto the sports models and then onto the options list for the mongs and insecure sales reps to up spec their diesels.

Also though cars got bigger so often need a bigger wheel to keep the original look.

I can't talk though, one of my cars runs 19s. Other two are on 16s and 13s, so on average I'm probably under wheeled vs the norm in 2013.

Edited by Matt UK on Monday 16th September 23:58

[Stenjay]

My wife had a loan car from work, Vauxhall Astra diesel with 20" alloys.. wtf? I just don't get the huge wheeled thing; horrible ride comfort, tyres cost a fortune, more prone to wheel damage, they look silly. I love the ride comfort on my old Omega on 16s and chunky tyres.

[Fleckers]

i remember upgrading my 13 inch wheels with 70 series tyres for 14's on 60

i was the first of my mates to do that and it blew people away

now if you aint running 18's as standard......

[Captain Muppet]

Later Ford Model Ts had 21" wheels. Why do modern cars have smaller wheels?

[crostonian]

I suppose bigger brake discs will be one reason and the recent pedestrian crash regulations which has dictated higher bonnet lines and bulbous front ends has made anything less than a 16" wheel look tiny, even on Superminis.

[4a4]

Because racecar.

Touring cars took standard cars, slammed them to the ground, and put massive wheels on to clear the massive brakes. Every wannabe youth takes their car, slams it and puts massive wheels on to replicate. The automotive industry take this as de rigeur and feed the same thing back into the general public.

Now you have OAPs in their 5 series saloons with 20" wheels, mega low profile tyres, and lowered ride height.

Good effort.

[DocArbathnot]

I used to think I was impervious to aesthetics and fashion and big wheels.
latest car (Merc SL) comes on 17"s 235/45f, 255/40r.
Thinks.........................I should go down to 16" 225's all round. But I won't cause I'd miss the look of the bigger wheels.