What is the deal with all these big 19 and 20 inch wheels on roadsters and coupes?

[jwade]

Originally Posted by peterbrown77

You know what I really want? A set of the wheels that were on the original Boxster show car back in 1993.

Those originals look like speedlines from a 911 T 3.6. One of my fav all time cars!

[jmatta]

Since we're on the topic...

[Appleguy]

man o man are you guys going to be hating my rims when they arrive!

I personally think that 19" look good on Boxsters and Caymans as long as they are done with taste. All of the photos shown in this thread are at the extreme end of the spectrum.

When it all comes down to it, as long as the owner of the car/rims is happy, who really cares?!?!?!

just my 2 cents...

[landrovered]

Originally Posted by Steve Tinker

Hells teeth - I nearly brought up my sugar ricicles.......
Hey Landy - they would look great on your Rangie, but instead of the Porsche badging, a big
LEYLAND logo badge - in gold chrome of course - on them.

The 19s on my RR are stock in the US but the ROW stock is 18s which I would like because it gives you a hell of a lot more and cheaper tire options. There is only one manufacturer that makes a real offroad tire for the 19s (goodyear kevlar wranglers) and they are god-awful expensive.

[Idaho Red Rocket 3]

To my eye the 17" wheel is just right on the 911, Boxster and Cayman. It has the right amount of metal and rubber sidewall showing. The 17" do ride a little stiffer than my other car with 16" did. I have test driven some 18" and 19" the ride was acceptable, but they were new cars not 10+ years old. I just prefer the look of 17". I can live with 18" if I had to, but any bigger just looks silly to me. I don't like the 20" on the 2012 Boxster.

[brian325is]

Do you really think 19's look to large? I would have to disagree. Yes they are heavier, and yes there is less of a tire selection but looks wise they are perfect in my opinion

[Wingnut2u]

My 997 is on 20's and my 986 is on 18's and they both look good to me :dance:

Personally 16's and 17's look way too small on the 986 and should only be used for track days. 18's still give you enough sidewall to absorb the harshness of the road and keep your ride relatively comfortable.

[Perfectlap]

^wingnut2u,

are both of your car lowered?? What size tires are on the 18"s? Anything above 18" on stock springs/struts does not look right to me. Even if you've got more rubber filling the gap the rear bumper and front bumper still look as if they're sitting higher off the ground, which in sports car terms looks contradictory. Like something you would see on muscle car or drag racer. Just my opinion.

As far as performance and ride, if the car is going to be sitting lower since of course it's been set up for sportier specs, then you're only compounding the jarring and punishment the car is going to take by going with such large wheels. This may work on new models with brand new shocks, but as parts start to age the size of the wheel starts to show its weakness.
Think about it. 19" wheels used to be strictly the domain of trucks and vans.
Now they're on sports cars despite, to my knowledge, there being no advantage in either street driving or on the track. It's purely an urban style cue. I suspect it's more to do with the greater prices that both wheel makers and tire companies can turn for slightly more material as another poster pointed out. In other words the vendors are feeding the trend when from a performance and ride comformt standpoint they should be discouraging it.

[Perfectlap]

well the first thing that jumps out at me is that you can see clear to the other side of the pavement under that car. And I can see all the material at the bottom of the front bumper. Even the shadow that is cast by the car shows that its sitting high...due to the wheels size (again just my visual opinion). But that's another issue (ride height) that is not necessarily the same as wheels size. If the car were lowered, you'd have less rubber due to more wheel, in that setting it looks compromised. On the street such large wheels on cars like a Porsche ,that has every aero and mechanical consideration run through works a dozen times over, looks like style trumps engineering. Granted to the average car nut it looks like a calendar photo. I don't know I just don't see the upside on your wallet, ride comfort, or peformance.

Looking at that photo really makes me wonder if I can go to 19" without re-doing my shocks which brings its own issues on these rough roads.

Originally Posted by brian325is

Do you really think 19's look to large? I would have to disagree. Yes they are heavier, and yes there is less of a tire selection but looks wise they are perfect in my opinion

[brian325is]

19 inch wheels do not change the ride height. The tires are the same diameter as if they were 16 inch. My car is not lowered and I may be experiencing some body roll due to racing speeds on a autocross track

[Perfectlap]

DOH! forget you go down to F35/R30 on 19"s.

I guess roll to the left would explain the gap. It looked like the car was going straight.