Why do we have to have low profile tyres to look "sporty"?
Discussion
Kawasicki said:
Lots of love for low profile tyres in this thread with plenty of cars looking great on their 55, 50, 45 and 40 profile tyres.
Yes and no! My Z4 Coupe runs 255/35 x 18 on the rears, so properly low profile!
But my E91 has 205/55 x 16 winters and the ride is so smooth - but that isn't what you buy a Z4 for!
RoachM said:
Most average users care more about the looks than anything else, that's likely the reason/problem for this.
IIRC, when the Tamora came out it was only available on 16" wheels but because the standard for well wickedness was 18", if you image search that is what most of them are on.I'm pretty sure the Tuscan was the same. A comment from Mark Hales(?) in an EVO early review mentioned it feeling much better on 16" wheels than the final 18".
BrassMan said:
RoachM said:
Most average users care more about the looks than anything else, that's likely the reason/problem for this.
IIRC, when the Tamora came out it was only available on 16" wheels but because the standard for well wickedness was 18", if you image search that is what most of them are on.I'm pretty sure the Tuscan was the same. A comment from Mark Hales(?) in an EVO early review mentioned it feeling much better on 16" wheels than the final 18".
ajprice said:
Luxury! You can get the same 18" wheels and tyres on the 95bhp FR, with rear drum brakes...
I test drove a 150PS FR with those 18" wheels (comes with 17" as standard) and was quite impressed with the ride to be fair, so I've ordered one. I think much of it depends on what you are used to, I currently drive a Citigo Monte Carlo and that has low profile tyres, but with a much smaller wheel diameter the pot holes are more of a challenge.Sheepshanks said:
That is specifically tyres though. When I said the wheels were smaller they were very iffy about it.
Mind you, getting the summer's put back on at Costco (as I'd injured my shoulder plus I wanted them balanced anyway) resulted in a massive argument due to the different size. The only did as the other tyre fitters where basically telling the supervisor he was being an arse. But he wrote on the paperwork that they wouldn't do it again!
Weird, I have spoken to them about mine never had an issue (approved wheel size is 17" or 18" for mine, although you can get 20" winter tyres...), but I have had issues in the past with undertrained staff not knowing how to handle Winter tyre combos.Mind you, getting the summer's put back on at Costco (as I'd injured my shoulder plus I wanted them balanced anyway) resulted in a massive argument due to the different size. The only did as the other tyre fitters where basically telling the supervisor he was being an arse. But he wrote on the paperwork that they wouldn't do it again!
I think some of the problem with some of the staff at least recently due to the change in policy structure is they have taken on more staff in some areas and cut staff elsewhere (6th November last year they introduced their "new" policy format, it does appear to be causing issues as the new policy is different in a few areas). It does appear some staff need more training at least in the last 6 months as well.
I know LV are dumping about 450 staff, of which I know a few departments got the chop either with tech replacing them or just simply not being in the right areas (one instance is the old Data Validation team).
MC Bodge said:
strain said:
Surprised that nobody has mentioned the mondeo (from what I can see)
Saw quite a few with wheels that look tiny, every time I see one all I can think is 'god that must be comfortable'
I was going to mention this too. They are 215/60/16 tyres. Possibly a result of being a US Ford Fusion originally?Saw quite a few with wheels that look tiny, every time I see one all I can think is 'god that must be comfortable'
My Mk4 Mondeo has 215/55/16 tyres -it rides and handles well (friends and colleagues have commented on the ride) and I absolutely do not want massive rims and tyres of low depth on my next car.
I want something fairly comfortable that can remain composed being hustled down a bumpy, undulating, twisty mountain/back road like a Mk3 or Mk4 Mondeo on standard suspension.
Edited by MC Bodge on Thursday 22 March 13:56
However I agree, that Mondeo seems to look fine. It doesn't have overly large rear quarters, so the "small" wheels still look proportioned.
Conscript said:
However I agree, that Mondeo seems to look fine. It doesn't have overly large rear quarters, so the "small" wheels still look proportioned.
I think small wheels can look OK with a deep sidewall on a big car like a Mondeo.They can look grim when you have small wheels and a shallower profile.
Conscript said:
I think a lot of it has to do with the design of the car bodywork as well. As cars have grown, the bodywork has got bigger and more slab sided, and so the wheels tend to look out of proportion in smaller sizes. I'm struggling to find an example, but it's something I've noticed occasionally - saloons with large rear quarters tend to look a little silly when the wheel is still quite small. Looks a bit "Woll Smoth". So I guess car designers compensate by putting more metal on display in the wheel well to balance out the proportions of the car.
However I agree, that Mondeo seems to look fine. It doesn't have overly large rear quarters, so the "small" wheels still look proportioned.
Hmm, how about the Insignia:However I agree, that Mondeo seems to look fine. It doesn't have overly large rear quarters, so the "small" wheels still look proportioned.
Vs the old Cav:
Cav is on smaller wheels, but looks better proportioned due to the much lower belt line bigger windows. The rising rear does the Insignia no favours either.
Flibble said:
Hmm, how about the Insignia:
Vs the old Cav:
Cav is on smaller wheels, but looks better proportioned due to the much lower belt line bigger windows. The rising rear does the Insignia no favours either.
That Cavalier looks surprisingly good, other than the colour (My Dad had a GL hatchback with 13"? wheels and Grand Prix S tyres)Vs the old Cav:
Cav is on smaller wheels, but looks better proportioned due to the much lower belt line bigger windows. The rising rear does the Insignia no favours either.
The window size of modern cars is much smaller than on older ones and feel much less airy.
Big wheels with low profile tyres are a bit like 4" high heels on shoes.
Flibble said:
Hmm, how about the Insignia:
![]()
Vs the old Cav:
![]()
Cav is on smaller wheels, but looks better proportioned due to the much lower belt line bigger windows. The rising rear does the Insignia no favours either.
Great example, thankyou! Exactly the sort of thing I was thinking about. And yes, "belt line" - that's the term I was looking for.Vs the old Cav:
Cav is on smaller wheels, but looks better proportioned due to the much lower belt line bigger windows. The rising rear does the Insignia no favours either.
That Insignia would need larger wheels in order to look better proportioned, which of course leads to lower profile tyres, even though they aren't as suited for a motorway cruiser.
Conscript said:
Flibble said:
Hmm, how about the Insignia:
![]()
Vs the old Cav:
![]()
Cav is on smaller wheels, but looks better proportioned due to the much lower belt line bigger windows. The rising rear does the Insignia no favours either.
Great example, thankyou! Exactly the sort of thing I was thinking about. And yes, "belt line" - that's the term I was looking for.Vs the old Cav:
Cav is on smaller wheels, but looks better proportioned due to the much lower belt line bigger windows. The rising rear does the Insignia no favours either.
That Insignia would need larger wheels in order to look better proportioned, which of course leads to lower profile tyres, even though they aren't as suited for a motorway cruiser.
High profile, but visually different.
Here is my newly acquired Mondeo {the cheapest and oldest car I have ever bought in over fifty years....... long story} sitting on the standard Mondeo's 16" wheels rather than the 19" it was spec'd with. It has a more aggressive stance than on the original spec as the car is now genuinely sitting 30 mm lower on its stiffened and lowered suspension, the 19" wheels were jacking the car up.
I think it looks fine, it is faster for sure with these wheels and handles and rides better too.
Tig
I think it looks fine, it is faster for sure with these wheels and handles and rides better too.
Tig
Tigger2050 said:
Here is my newly acquired Mondeo {the cheapest and oldest car I have ever bought in over fifty years....... long story} sitting on the standard Mondeo's 16" wheels rather than the 19" it was spec'd with. It has a more aggressive stance than on the original spec as the car is now genuinely sitting 30 mm lower on its stiffened and lowered suspension, the 19" wheels were jacking the car up.
I think it looks fine, it is faster for sure with these wheels and handles and rides better too.
It looks a bit small wheeled to me, but I think that's partly because of the fairly large wheel arches, they accentuate the size (or lack thereof) of the wheels.I think it looks fine, it is faster for sure with these wheels and handles and rides better too.
funnily enough I went from 235/55/17 all-round to 255/45/20 (fr) and 295/30/20 (r) and preferred the ride - that being said I do agree that on the right car (cf Hellcat that the OP posted up) a higher profile really looks great. More than that though, by and large, on our s
te roads offers a more cosseting ride and rim protection.
te roads offers a more cosseting ride and rim protection. 
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