http://www.pistonheads.com/news/defa...?storyId=28588

is it me or is this just getting silly. Big wheels used to look nice up to around 18ich, but this and the latest gen boxster / cayman are starting to look a little like hotwheels?

I can only imagine what rubber must cost. I got a 'bargain' on a set of rears for the M6 at £500.

I've not read the blurb as frankly I am bored by hyper power and hyper speed, but these must be at least 20, probably 21 inch rims.

looks daft to me.

 

Agreed.
I have 19's on my E89 Z4 and the tyres cost enough at that size. £230 for fronts and around £320 for rears. The ride isn't that great either, as there's little (if any) movement in the side wall of the tyre to compensate for the already hard suspension.

Surely a car such as that Porker would handle better on 18's?

 

It would appear that for GT3 Cup cars they use 18"

2013 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup Rims/Tyres
Front axle:

Single-piece Porsche Design light-alloy rims with centre lock, 10.5J x 18
Michelin rain tyres; tyre size: 27/65-18

Rear axle:

Single-piece Porsche Design light-alloy rims with centre lock,
12J x 18
Michelin rain tyres; tyre size: 31/71-18


Porsche Motorsport News

You can only select 20" on the 911 road cars including GT3 and Turbo.
I am guessing that is because they can sell them for a higher price and there must be a market in such styling by the customer.
Also I guess Porsche must be reasonably happy with its handling on those.

Very few people will ever be able to reach the limit of a 911 in the same sense as a Race Driver so I guess its a moot point that 18" would be better handling.

Its a general trend of most manufacturers to go for larger wheel sizes now. Possibly its easier to construct the tyres and they are less of an issue with a puncture?
I have experienced a serious puncture on one of my rears and it was driveable at very low speed (10-20mph) due to the low profile and width. Not something I would recomend of course.

 

I think it looks really dorky - I intensely dislike big wheels.

 

I remember when 17" wheels were considered massive!

 

looks shit

The rear 19s on my M3 are about £270 each, they are as big as you want and that's a bigger car than a squished beetle

 

A good example from (not so long ago!) yesterday was the E46 M3, I tested lots when I bought mine, both with 18" and 19" inch wheels, and there really was a difference in the steering feel and chassis behaviour at speed.

So naturally I bought one with 19"s.....

I just preferred the looks, that's all, which is lot of what it comes down to these days I think. I couldn't believe the standard wheels size options on a Vauxhall Corsa VXR that exist! A tiny little city car that can have 19" wheels as standard!

 

Big brakes = big wheels. They look appropriately sized to me. Its brakes are over 16 inches in diameter. so 20 inch wheels don't seem unreasonable.

 

I subscribe to the thinking that big wheels =






Small willy....

 

I've oft referred to them likewise!