Is it just me or do these cars look way better on smaller wheels?

18 inchers on a GTR

vs

20 inchers

19 inchers on a Porsche GT3

vs

18 inch

19 inch big wheels on a Megane 250RS

vs

17 inch

It's my understanding that larger wheels and race tires evolved in order to put massive brakes on the cars as well as to put down a larger contact patch. On racing wheels is makes sense but for posers IMO any thing over about +2 starts to look . . . well like a poser. The jacked up 80s chevys running around on their 24s with original brakes is one of the most disgusting fads I've ever seen. Some of you may recall not too many decades ago when the fad of putting super wide roller skate wheels on FWD hatchbacks became the rage. I respect the fact that we're all different, it's just my nature to spend my money on something that really creates performance for the intent of the build.

Wow, the Renault looks MUCH better, the Porsche...I'm mixed on. The GTR, however, needs the big wheels to avoid looking like a bus!

Those pictures also show ugly large wheels and nice smaller wheels. Try it with the same wheels in both sizes and I think whatever fills the wheelwell will look the best.

I think this is a generational argument you are never going to win. You might as well have a discussion about whether you look better with your shirt tucked in or not.

Really? I thought the GTR improved most of them all. Then again, I think this is an awesome look on a car.

Streetwiseguy wrote: I think this is a generational argument you are never going to win. You might as well have a discussion about whether you look better with your shirt tucked in or not.

I'm 27, which would put me right in the middle of the dub craze.

Personal preference. I'm 30, the dub and spinning rim craze was in full affect in my young adulthood. I can't stand them.

I've always liked the look of smaller wheels I don't think the all wheel/no tire looks good at all. But what do I know neither of my cars has anything bigger than a 14 on it.

What about looking at some muscle cars? The trend is towards giant wheels where I still like, for example, Chevrolet Factory Rallye wheels on a 1970 Camaro rather than some 18" after market newer wheels.

I'm not talking the dubs fad.

To me it's not as much about the wheel size than the sideway size. I like to see me some sidewall at all four corners. Just looks more Mad Max-ish and tougher.

18's seem about the biggest tire for my taste. And yes, the VW's with 13"-14" wheels are my favorite.

Newer cars are bigger so bigger rims and rubber band sidewalls looks better.. i guess... I personally dont like the looks on older cars. I like to have some sidewall like 50 series on 16s, 50-55-60 on 15s, and 60 on 13-14s. Unfortunately theres not a lot of performance tires in those sizes unless its slicks.

The worst thing about the current crop of giant wheels is how hard it is to find performance tires under 16 inches. When I bought tires for my MR2, I could only find one model of tire--of any kind--available in the stock front and rear 14-inch sizes.

Cars from the 60's and 70's (even some from the 80's) look much better on 14 and 15 inch wheels.

What about this question: Is there a need for anything larger than an 18" wheel - meaning, have we reached a point in braking technology where the best brakes available will fit under an 18" wheel? Or is there a legitamate need for something larger?

The GTR looks bad either way IMHO.

Small diameter rim allowing for a taller sidewall and racing slicks. The rims look light-weight and designed for racing. I like the smaller rims for the racing application. For the street I am indifferent.

I was against putting plus sizing on most cars, but I'm getting used to it. When I see a nice 60's muscle car on it's original 14s it doesn't like right. Most look good on replica 16s, but no larger. I run 15s on my Miata, but dumped the MINI's 17s for some 16" Rotas because I think they look better. Each to his own, I guess.

Woody wrote: Cars from the 60's and 70's (even some from the 80's) look much better on 14 and 15 inch wheels.

I agree. People tell me I should put 15" wheels on my '79 CVCC and I look at them thinking "why?." On that car, I would never go above a 13" wheel. I would consider a 14" set up, but don't think I'd go there. I actually prefer the factory 12."

qdseeker wrote:

Woody wrote: Cars from the 60's and 70's (even some from the 80's) look much better on 14 and 15 inch wheels.

I agree. People tell me I should put 15" wheels on my '79 CVCC and I look at them thinking "why?." On that car, I would never go above a 13" wheel. I would consider a 14" set up, but don't think I'd go there. I actually prefer the factory 12."

I owned one of those! 14s would look silly. The best looking size for those is 185-70 13. I ran 185-60 13s for autocross and they looked funny.

Prefer smaller wheels, personally. I've -1'd all the cars I own, so I can get more rubber under them. ms3 has 17's, 16's will go on the cooper S. Wider tires FTW.

A lot of the reason for huge wheels on race cars, besides larger brakes, are rules that say no part of the body may touch the ground if a tire is deflated.

So, thinner tires means you can make the car lower.

My personal opinion is that a car needs wheels from the era in which it was designed. To wit, anything larger than 14" on a 240Z or an RX-7 looks stupid, while anything smaller than 17" on, say, a newer Tiburon also looks pretty lame.

I still can't put my finger on what, exactly, is different about the styling changes. But, I did have 17" wheels on my RX-7 for about an hour before I took them back off. They just looked ridiculous.

http://www.team-crm.com/photos08/081005/pages/IMG_0179.html

This is how my FSP Neon looks on 14x8 Diamonds with 225-50-14 Kumho V710s

Can't get pic to show so I included link

Plus sizing is great. Only if you do it in conjunction with an eye for aesthetics.

Dubs have jumped the shark just like the Kardashians