Gimmick Meets Genius
Some wheels make you smile, others make you question reality itself. The automotive aftermarket has produced designs ranging from brilliantly timeless to absolutely bonkers. We're talking teddy bears cast into spokes and leather-wrapped rims that probably shouldn't exist. Then there are the legends that have survived decades unchanged because perfection doesn't need updates. Let’s start by looking at 10 bizarre designs.
1. Ronal URS Teddy Bear Wheels
The Ronal URS "Teddy" wheels emerged in the early 1990s, featuring a complete teddy bear cast directly into the spokes—yes, an actual three-dimensional bear living on your wheel. The design cleverly uses six "spokes" formed by the bear's ears, arms, and feet.
2. Forgiato Radurra Wheels
Imagine glancing at a car and seeing straight through its wheels to the brake calipers and suspension components behind them. These wheels made history as the world's first production wheel to incorporate a transparent center section made from clear polycarbonate.
David Villarreal Fernández on Wikimedia
3. Asanti Skin Series Leather Wheels
Practicality went completely out the window when Asanti decided to upholster wheels in genuine leather. These production wheels wrapped their surfaces in real animal hide, including exotic options like ostrich and alligator leather, creating the most impractical luxury wheel option.
4. Lenso Las Vegas Roulette Wheels
The moment Lenso introduced their Las Vegas Roulette Wheels at SEMA 2007, they went all-in on the casino theme with attention to detail. The wheels mimicked the appearance of a casino roulette wheel, though they didn't feature the alternating red and black segments.
Stefan Schweihofer on Wikimedia
5. Arelli Rook Assassyn Chrome Wheels
Featuring twisted, blade-like spokes that give them a shuriken-inspired appearance, the Arelli Rook Assassyn Chrome Wheels look like medieval weaponry reimagined for the modern road. Their extreme spoke design has drawn comparisons to throwing stars.
6. Mugen CF-48 Wheels
Honda's tuning division, Mugen, crafted distinctive turbine-inspired wheels back in the 1980s for Japanese vehicles. The CF-48's design mimics the appearance of a fan or turbine, complete with cooling vanes that were intended to help dissipate brake heat.
7. Forgiato Parlaro Wheels
This bizarre three-spoke layout has two spokes that are blacked out, resulting in the optical illusion of a single, massive spoke dominating the wheel face. Custom-made to order, Forgiato allows buyers to specify unique finishes and specifications.
8. VW Gullideckel (Manhole Cover) Wheels
The nickname alone tells you everything about these wheels' distinctive appearance—"Gullideckel" literally translates to "manhole cover" in German. Despite the "VW" prefix that often appears in discussions, these iconic flat-faced alloy wheels were actually fitted to Mercedes-Benz models.
9. Sport Edition Daisy Wheels
The late 1990s brought us the Volkswagen New Beetle, and with it came aftermarket wheels made to match its playful personality. Sport Edition created Daisy Wheels specifically for the 1998 and newer New Beetle, featuring a cartoonish flower-petal look.
10. Status Grinder Wheels
Despite their menacing name, Status Grinder Wheels don't actually create any grinding visual effects or extreme optical illusions. These large aftermarket chrome wheels showcase a bold, multi-spoke design that targets the custom SUV and luxury car market.
On the flip side, some designers absolutely nailed it and never looked back.
1. American Racing Torq Thrust
Steve McQueen's 1968 Ford Mustang tearing through San Francisco in Bullitt cemented these wheels in pop culture forever. The Torq Thrust gained legendary status from that iconic chase scene, but its fame was built on a genuine racing pedigree.
2. Cragar S/S Wheels
The muscle car era demanded wheels that matched the raw power under the hood, and the Cragar S/S delivered exactly that when it debuted in 1964. Its signature construction combines a chrome-plated steel rim with an aluminum center.
3. Minilite Wheels
Rally racing in the 1960s witnessed lightweight, durable wheels that could withstand brutal conditions. Minilite delivered with its legendary eight-spoke design. These wheels became inseparable from the Mini Cooper's rally success, adorning countless competition cars that dominated stages across Europe.
Kenny Louie from Vancouver, Canada on Wikimedia
4. Halibrand Wheels
Halibrand responded to the requirement for wheels that could withstand the rigors of oval tracks and drag strips in American racing in the late 1940s by using magnesium construction and creative design. They were known for their distinctive kidney bean-shaped holes.
5. Porsche 911 Fuchs Wheels
In 1967, the Fuchs wheel made automotive history, achieving something no other wheel had before. It became the first forged aluminum wheel ever fitted to a production car. Porsche designed these for the 911S, recognizing that serious performance demanded lighter unsprung weight.
6. Ferrari F40 Speedline Wheels
As the final vehicle that Enzo Ferrari personally approved, the Ferrari F40 required wheels, and Speedline provided them with specially designed lightweight multi-piece alloys. These wheels had to handle the supercar's extreme performance envelope while looking absolutely perfect.
7. BBS RS Wheels
European tuning culture found its defining wheel when BBS introduced the RS in 1983 with revolutionary three-piece construction. The mesh design with a polished lip became instantly recognizable on everything from BMWs to Porsches, transcending brand loyalty to become universally desirable.
8. Rays Engineering Volk TE37
Japanese engineering precision achieved perfection when Rays Engineering launched the Volk TE37 as a forged monoblock wheel. The name itself reveals the design philosophy—"TE37" comes from the target weight of just 3.7 kilograms per wheel.
9. American Racing Magnum 500
The Magnum 500 became standard equipment on iconic vehicles because Detroit's muscle car makers needed factory wheel alternatives that matched their high-performance engines. It first showed up as a factory option on Mustangs, Chargers, and Road Runners.
10. VW Golf GTI Mk1 Snowflake Wheels
That distinctive pattern truly resembles a snowflake, with spokes radiating in a crystalline layout. The early 1980s brought the Mk1 Golf GTI to folks craving practical performance, and its "Snowflake" wheels became as iconic as the car itself.
