Weird Wheel Designs You Won't Believe

Sometimes the most basic customization tool goes drastically wrong...

The process of changing your car’s alloy wheels is one of the simplest ways to add a personalized touch to your ride. It’s arguably the easiest way to customize, as all it takes is a 20 minute trip to your local wheel shop to have the tires slapped on and you’re pretty much good to go. Some wheel designs are true classics, real bad-asses of automotive wheel-wizardry. But for the thousands of great wheel designs out there, there are some equally scary and strange ones.

Fortunately, you’re unlikely to see many of these on the streets, but if you do, you’ll either be left pondering why, or you’ll be trying to claw your eyes out to get the image out of your head. These wheel designs are ones that left us with just one question… why?

Teddy Bear Wheels – Ronal URS

The Ronal URS wheels (that’s URS for ‘ursine’) is better known as the teddy bear wheel, and for obvious reasons. Finished in white or crystal silver with black detailing, the wheels were 14-inches in diameter, available in four and five stud configurations, and were, for some reason, all the rage about a decade ago.

Considering you need to be well beyond your teddy bear-loving years before you’re legally allowed to drive, the Ronal URS is one wheel design that just makes no sense.

Arelli Wheels Rook Assassyn Chrome

First, they spelled ‘assassin’ wrong, and second, what the hell was going through their minds when they designed these? Besides copious amounts of LSD and the mental image of their future going down the drain, we’re not quite sure, but this swirling two-spoke monstrosity was the byproduct.

They were available in garishly oversized 20- and 22-inch sizes, and the only finish was chrome. Please, don’t buy these. Ever.

Lenso Las Vegas Roulette Wheels

These aptly named wheels should only be found spinning inside Vegas’s casinos, but still, some saw it fit to design alloys to look like roulette wheels. That ‘someone’ was Lenso, who designed the rims ahead of the 2007 SEMA show - where all the cool stuff happens. The roulette wheel features genuine leather Louis Vuitton patterning, and the Lenso lettering is spelled out in rhinestones. On a side note, finding any other pictures of this SEMA special proved impossible, so I guess it never ended up on anyone’s car. We did, however, find a similar wheel design on a car and as suspected, it looks terrible.

Status Grinder

Do you want to change your brakes without having to remove your wheels? Then the Status Grinder is for you! OK, so that’s not really in their marketing script, but these two-spoke alloys leave gaping holes large enough to just about do the deed.

Manufactured by aftermarket wheel specialist, Status, the Grinder design was available in sizes from 20-inches upwards. I’m no engineer, but I’m fairly sure a two-spoke design would create definite weak points in the rim…

Asanti Skin Series Leather Wheels

Believe it or not, there was a time when leather on the outside of your car rather than inside was a thing – as in they actually sold several sets of these leather-clad wheels. While at first glance they might appear to be painted horrendously, or even clad in wood veneer or vinyl, these wheels were genuinely wrapped in legitimate ostrich leather, though you could also opt for gator leather too. There are several different colors available, all of them in a garish 5-spoke design. I’m no bunny-hugger, but why the hell would you do this?

Forgiato Parlaro

This wheel design just hurts my head. The three-spoke Parlaro from Forgiato designs is built to look like a giant single-spoke wheel, with the two thinner spokes blacked out. Then there’s that sliver of extra aluminum on there – I presume for weight balancing – but that vaguely makes this design look like it took inspiration from the grim reaper’s weapon of choice. Available in sizes as small as 18-inches, and as large as 32-inches, Forgiato claims they scream for attention. That they do, but not at all in a good way!

Forgiato Maschili

By now I should’ve logged off from the Forgiato website and cleared my browser history – can’t have that tarnishing my web history. But like a bad accident, the wheelmaker's website is something you just can’t look away from, and despite the many, many horrendous wheel designs, the Maschili tops them all.

According to Forgiato, it’s a round alloy that looks like a triangle, available in anything from 18-34 inches in diameter and a range of colors. I like rotary engines as much as the next gearhead, but putting the rotor design on a wheel is a bit intense. And what about airflow, it’s not like that’s a necessary occurrence for brake-cooling or anything.

Forgiato Radurra

Ok, one more from Forgiato? I promise these are worth the inclusion on this list because they’re completely see-through! Much like many of its other designs, there’s no such thing as airflow, but for a static show car, these could be pretty damn cool to show off your ventilated, cross-drilled brake discs and artfully painted brake calipers. The face of the rim is made from a single slab of thick polycarbonate, inset into the rim using a technique known as ‘bezel setting.’ The face is slightly larger than the rim and is held in place purely by pressure. At $5,000 a wheel when they launched in 2006, they’re pricey but kinda cool.

Sport Edition Daisy Wheels

About 17 seconds after the ‘new’ Volkswagen Beetle debuted in 1997, the Sport Edition Daisy Wheels surfaced – because who doesn’t love a Beetle with flower power? They weren’t available in large, garish sizes, but they did feature a 7-spoke white petal design and a yellow center cap. They’re not the craziest design here, but there’s something about them that makes me want to hurl a little bit nonetheless.

Mugen CF-48

Made exclusively for Hondas, these Mugen CF-48 wheels were strange but incredibly technical in more ways than one. First of all, just look at them – the CF-48s have more ribs than the best BBQ restaurants in the US. But all that ribbing has technical benefits, as the wheel itself acts as a heatsink to draw and dissipate heat from the brake discs on the fly. They were available in a range of colors and came with clip-on aero-discs that were famously used for racing. Sadly, most aero discs that made it to the street got stolen, broken, or lost, so nowadays they’re an ultra-rare sight.

Clarkson's Penis Wheels

We couldn’t complete a list of the strangest wheels around without this inclusion as the final entrant. The wheels that made an appearance on Top Gear on Jeremy Clarkson’s Vauxhall Frontera in season 22, episode 8, while they may pique a bit of interest, we can’t say they’d be to everyone’s liking. They’re none other than the penis wheels; though where Clarkson managed to find them is beyond me.

They’re certainly not the kind of wheels you want on your ride when you meet your new girlfriend’s parents for the first time; however, we’re certain there are more than just a few times these wheels would be a welcome warning in traffic as to the driver’s attitude.

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Amazing Collection Of Porsche Cars Heads To Auction

Here's a chance to buy some of the best Porsche cars all at once.

Car auction prices have been through the roof recently, and collectors are taking the opportunity to make a small fortune all in one go. Instead of just selling off one car, or even a few in one auction, collectors have started to sell their cars as a set. We recently saw a $1 million collection of Mercedes Black Series cars and a legendary collection of Fords. Jerry Seinfeld made headlines by selling his $10 million worth of classic Porsche cars at auction, but Gooding & Company may have an even better collection coming up for Porsche enthusiasts.

This 12-car set is part of the James G. Hascall Collection. The collection is referred to as "50 Years of Porsche Excellence" because it includes amazing Porsche models than span more 50 years in age from 1960 to 2016. All of the cars will be sold without reserve at the Amelia Island Auction held on March 9, 2018. Mr. Hascall started collecting back in the 1980s with his wife, and the two of them took several of these cars on road rallies. Hascall, the former head of a military-industrial defense contractor, passed away in 2016, but his incredible collection will live on. The most valuable car in the collection is the 1987 959 Komfort, which is estimated to sell between $900,000 and $1,200,000.

The second most valuable car is the 2005 Carrera GT, which is estimated to sell for around $800,000 to $1,000,000. The other cars in the collection include a 1960 356 B Cabriolet ($150,000-$200,000), 1965 356 C Cabriolet ($170,000-$200,000), 1969 911 2.0 S ($160,000-$180,000), 1972 911 2.4 S ($200,000-$250,000), 1989 911 Carrera Speedster ($250,000-$325,000), 1993 964 Carrera 4 Targa ($75,000-$100,000),1994 964 Turbo 3.6 ($225,000-$275,000), 1996 993 Turbo ($150,000-$180,000), 1997 993 Turbo S ($325,000-$375,000), and 2016 991 GT3 RS $175,000-$250,000). This is one heck of a collection that and we'd love to take home a piece of it.

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Watch Porsche Beat The Crap Out Of The Refreshed Macan Off-Road

On road performance is one thing, but driving over rocks is something else.

Porsche literally guaranteed itself a sales hit when it launched the Macan back in 2014. But that was nearly five years ago so it’s time for a mid-life refresh. Now, automotive refreshes vary widely, from a minor nip/tuck to a serious overhaul just shy of a complete redesign. Guess which of the two Porsche prefers? The heavily refreshed 2019 Macan will be making its debut very soon, and Porsche is convinced it’ll continue to be its number one seller throughout the second half of its life. We don’t doubt that, but the competition is catching up fast.

This new video from Porsche is, more or less, a warning sign to those competitors declaring that refreshed Macan is more than ready for battle. It’s reportedly undergone extensive changes, mostly under the skin, such as expected new engines and other related components. Chances are a diesel variant will not be offered, at least in the US. However, a plug-in hybrid is expected. We can also see from the prototypes shown here testing in South Africa that the headlights and taillights have been updated.

The interior is also said to receive some extensive modifications. Considering the timing of this new video, a Paris debut this October is sounding like a strong possibility. Watching these Macan prototypes undergo final high altitude testing in South Africa is no doubt impressive. Remember, Porsche considers the Macan the sports car of SUVs, but most owners will require more than just fast highway drives. They need the capability of an SUV as well, though not quite at the level of, say, a Jeep Wrangler. Rock crawling isn’t a hobby for everyone, but driving on some rough surfaces is certainly a requirement for all.

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Here Are More Details About The New Porsche 718 Boxster Spyder

Lighter, more powerful, and naturally aspirated.

It’s no longer a secret that Porsche will shoehorn the 911 GT3’s naturally aspirated 4.0-liter flat-six into the upcoming Cayman GT4 and Boxster Spyder. While we still don’t know exactly when either of those mid-engine delights will be revealed (a good guess would be Geneva for at least one), Autocar has managed to gather a few more details about both cars. First off, a six-speed manual will come standard while the seven-speed PDK dual-clutch gearbox will be optional for those wanting to maximize track performance times.

Porsche can’t allow a supposed “lesser model” to outdo the 911 GT3, so that engine will be slightly detuned from 493 hp to around 425 hp. Considering the 718 Boxster is already lighter than the 911, we doubt anyone will complain. Speaking of lightweight, the Spyder especially requires a number of weight-saving methods in order to achieve Porsche’s desired power-to-weight ratio. Problem is, any roadster/convertible weighs more than its coupe counterpart, but Porsche has experience overcoming this. The Boxster Spyder has always been the feather light, end of the generation ultimate variant for a number of years.

As such, the 718 Boxster’s electric folding hardtop is a goner; that mechanism system, impressive as it is, is simply too heavy. Instead, the familiar Spyder “tent top” will be utilized. Convenience features such as air conditioning and a radio will also be absent, though they could be optional. Sound deadening materials will also be removed, and this is actually a smart thing because Spyder buyers will naturally want to hear as much of the open road as possible. A set of Michel Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires will come standard in order for the new Boxster Spyder to be one of the best-handling cars Porsche has ever built. It’ll certainly be the best-handling Boxster so far.

Overall exterior styling, save for the top, will be very similar to the new 718 Cayman GT4. However, the latter will be equipped with a large rear wing because, since it’s a coupe, will be considered even more hardcore.

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Porsche Sales Are So Strong It Doesn’t Need A Stock Market Listing

At least according to its current CEO.

Porsche CEO Oliver Blume is feeling confident these days. Despite recent rumors regarding a potential grouping of VW Group’s premium brands (Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Porsche, and Lamborghini) into a single unit to spin-off for an initial public offering with a potential valuation as high as $18 billion, Porsche sales remain stronger than ever. Perhaps that’s why Blume doesn’t see the need for a stock market listing, according to Reuters.

Blume is confident the brand will surpass last year’s record sales year by the end of this December, so why is an IPO even necessary? In the first nine months of this year, Porsche sold an impressive 196,562 vehicles worldwide. Sales of all models, including the 911 and Panamera, are up. Both the Chinese and European markets have grown this year, so far by 4 and 9 percent, respectively.

“In the light of these good numbers we expect that we can reach last year’s record again,” Blume said last week. In 2017, Porsche delivered a total of 246,375 vehicles. Given this year’s sales figures so far, Porsche is very much on track to beat its own record. But what about the huge investments needed for, say, electric car technology developments? Wouldn't the lucrative benefits of an IPO provide for that?

Yes, but Blume believes partnerships with other companies (not necessarily automakers) and leaner production and modernized development processes are the better way to go. Take the Panamera Sport Turismo, for example.

Blume boasted that it “was launched without building physical prototype vehicles,” meaning it was developed digitally. Another useful tool Porsche has is fellow VW brand Audi. Because both brands have many things in common they’re able to pool their resources together on things like platforms, modules, and other components.

“A good example of such synergies is our cooperation in the area of battery cells for our electric cars. Both of us, Porsche and Audi, source them from LG Chem, which has built up a plant for this in Poland,” Blume added. Despite Blume’s confidence, does the VW Group board of directors feel the same way? Although Porsche is doing great these days, the desire for greater profits could change easily the current situation.

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Here's Nothing But 20 Minutes Of Porsches Lapping The Nurburgring

Musical, yet also visually stimulating.

Porsches and the Nurburgring have always gone hand in hand. It’s just one of those facts of life. What’s so great about the Nurburgring is that it’s also a toll road, meaning anyone can show up and pay the 29 euros entry fee on permitted days and have at it. Porsche owners take full advantage of this. And because of that there’s a lot of Porsche/Nurburgring footage taken every year, and as 2017 comes to a close, those compilation videos are starting to come in.

This one was taken by YouTuber statesidesupercars, a regular presence at the Ring. It’s a full 20 minutes of nothing but Porsches lapping the Nurburgring. You’ll like it. Promise. Which specific Porsches are partaking in the festivities?

Try the 911 Carrera RS, 997 GT3 RS, 918 Spyder, 993 Carrera, and the 964 RSR. Not exactly lightweights. But in any case, we’re expecting more of this end of year compilation videos to keep coming in. Nurburgring crashes 2017 is another inevitable video we expect to see soon. There were lots of them.

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Why The 10-Year-Old Nissan GT-R Is Still So Good

Nissan engineers can’t leave the GT-R alone, and that’s a good thing.

Nissan’s GT-R performance brand has regularly produced vehicles that redefined what was considered technically possible in the sports car segment. The current GT-R is a case in point: it has been in production for over 10 years and is still bang on the pace. We embark on a short history lesson to see how it can manage this impressive feat. The original Skyline GT-R was introduced in 1969 and its 160-hp 2.0-liter motor gave it strong performance compared to contemporary offerings.

It was the third-generation 1989 Skyline GT-R R32 though that gave Nissan international recognition. Here was a technically advanced sports car with twin-turbos, a complex AWD system and track-honed chassis that could outrun a 911 at a fraction of its cost. The formula will be familiar to current GT-R fans as all subsequent generations have largely followed this setup. The GT-R 33 and 34 that followed continued their giant-slaying ways and the extremely robust mechanicals have made them the darlings of the aftermarket tuning community too. There are unlikely to be many unmodified GT-Rs left today thanks to the ease with which massive horsepower can be extracted from the RB26DETT inline-six engines.

The current GT-R arrived late in 2007, five years after production of the R34 ceased and it differs in a number of respects from its forebears. Firstly the Skyline name was dropped as was the manual transmission, to be replaced by a 6-speed dual-clutch automatic. Next, that iconic inline-six was replaced with a new 3.8-liter V6, still with twin turbos but power was now up to 480-hp. Despite a hefty curb weight approaching 4,000 lbs, the new GT-R soon proved itself to be not just a Porsche 911 competitor but capable of taking on and beating cars like the Ferrari F430 and Lamborghini Gallardo.

Fast forward to current day and those models from Porsche, Ferrari and Lamborghini have all been replaced, some more than once, yet the GT-R remains in production and is still competing successfully with this latest crop of supercars. This is thanks in part to the excellent base mechanical layout as well as the constant tinkering that has gone into the car from the moment the first version rolled off the production line. Most manufacturers tend to change a few components during a cars production life cycle and carry out a facelift which freshens up the exterior and generally comes with a more comprehensive mechanical update.

Nissan on the other hand opted to incrementally update the GT-R to keep it competitive and these detail changes have resulted in measurable improvements over the years. Power outputs have risen from that original 480-hp to 565-hp in the standard model while the top Nismo edition is now producing 600 hp. That aside, updates to the transmission, suspension geometry, chassis and countless software tweaks have evolved the 2018 GT-R into a much more capable machine than the original version was. A successful racing program has also helped hone the road car for track use. Externally, the styling is still sharp-looking although the interior, which wasn’t particularly special to begin with, is really starting to show its age.

So, what about the GT-Rs competitors? At the current $100,000 base price in Pure trim the GT-R still offers massive bang-for-the-buck, but it is a fair bit more than the $70,000 you would pay for the base model in 2008. Still, inflation affects other sports cars too and there is not much around that will match it on the road. Thanks to the lighting-quick dual-clutch transmission and AWD traction, the GT-R launches to 60 mph in 2.8 seconds. The time has improved a few tenths over the years and the brutal launch is still as impressive as ever. The Track Edition is slightly more at $128,000 and the 600-hp Nismo trim is now a rather pricey $175,500. That puts it up against some fierce opposition.

To those competitors then, the Porsche Carrera 997 in 2008 was a very different car to the current 991.2 version. Huge changes inside and out have taken place and even the base models now come with turbocharging. This means much improved performance, but for 100K you will have to settle for the standard 370-hp Carrera which means a 0-60 mph time of 4.2 seconds. For another 30K the Carrera 4 GTS cuts that time to 3.4 seconds but you will have to spend almost $200,000 on the Turbo S before you find a 911 that will match a GT-R in a straight line.

A competitor that wasn’t around 10 years ago is the Jaguar F-Type. It may not be as track-focused as the GT-R and fits just two people, but it offers serious performance and a lot of dynamic ability, especially in supercharged V8 form. You will need $100,000 for the 550-hp model and another 30K for the top 575-hp SVR trim. In a straight line neither can match the GT-R although the much higher interior quality and availability of a convertible model does target a slightly different performance car audience. Then there are the junior supercars like the twin-turbo 661-hp Ferrari 488 and 562-hp McLaren 570S.

The McLaren is around twice as much as a base GT-R while the Ferrari is over $250,000 before options. When it comes to exclusivity, looks and exotic interior styling the GT-R does not stand a chance. Compare acceleration and lap times though, and the 10-year-old sports car can still cut it with these exotics. In Nismo trim the price advantage does get eroded somewhat but the GT-R's performance on track is even more impressive. American sports cars have also come on hugely in recent years and the latest Corvette ZR1 is a very competitive $121,000 and with its massive supercharged 755-hp 6.2-liter V8 it matches the GT-R in a straight line despite only having rear-wheel-drive and it is seriously good on the track too.

Lower down the price range the 650-hp Z06 is also extremely impressive. Who would have thought that some of the most serious price/performance challengers would be American built? So, is the 10-year old GT-R still a viable alternative to the more modern opposition? In a word, yes. It still performs way beyond expectations and aside from its savage accelerative capabilities the dynamics are beyond reproach too as evidenced by its current 7:08 Nurburgring lap time. A time set back in 2013 by a Nismo model. The new GT-R is in development and rumors from within Nissan suggest that 2019 may be the year of its unveiling.

The front-engined 2+2 layout will remain but hybrid technology is pretty much confirmed for the new model. Until then, we have the impressively capable GT-R 35 to enjoy, a car that continues to defy its critics and set the standards in its segment.

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2015 Audi SQ5 Review

What’s best: The supercharged 3.0-litre V6 with its 354 hp powers the SQ5 to a 0-100 km/h time of 5.4 seconds.

What’s worst: Rearview camera is an option. Hard to believe when it’s standard on many much less expensive vehicles.

What’s interesting: The Q5/SQ5 has a choice of powertrains to fit any lifestyle. But for those who value performance, the 354 hp SQ5 is the answer.

The performance variant of Audi’s popular Q5 crossover SUV, the SQ5 has a lot to offer buyers in the entry-luxury market.

The SQ5 is designed especially for those who want a little more pop than the normal Q5, thanks to the supercharged 3.0-litre V6 that produces 354 hp and 346 lb/ft of torque.

This marks the first application of the ‘S’ designation on one of Audi’s sport utes. Previously the ‘S’ has been reserved strictly for Audi’s car lines.

While you can’t be all things to all people, Audi has attempted to do that in the Q5/SQ5 line with several engine options.

The Q5 Komfort comes with a 220 hp turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine, while the Progressiv and Technik trim levels also offer a 240 hp 3.0-litre turbo diesel with 428 lb/ft of grunt as well as a 272 hp 3.0-litre TFSI and a 2.0-litre TFSI hybrid.

Quattro all-wheel drive and an eight-speed Tiptronic transmission with paddle shifters are standard across the board.

RELATED: 2015 Audi S3 Technik Review

What makes the Q5/SQ5 a popular line for Audi is that the vehicles have the characteristics of a sedan along with five-passenger seating and the versatility of an SUV.

We recently had a chance to test the 2015 SQ5 and found that it had many good things going for it. On the performance side, the SQ5 is impressive with great acceleration, good braking and stable handling. Audi lists a 0-100 km/h time of 5.4 seconds.

Natural Resources Canada’s fuel consumption ratings are 14.1/9.9/12.2 L/100 km city/highway/combined.

With its sport-tuned suspension, the SQ5 can carve tight corners with ease and at the same time offer a comfortable ride as we found even on our pothole-littered roads after a harsh winter in a vehicle clad with huge 21-inch wheels.

The Q5/SQ5 offers a feeling of stability with its quattro permanent all-wheel drive getting exactly the right amount of power to each wheel as required.

RELATED: Audi Q5 Reboot: SUV refresh boosts power, saves fuel

In normal driving, 60 per cent of the power is routed to the rear wheels. However, if the wheels of one axle lose grip, drive torque is immediately directed to the other axle to stabilize the vehicle.

On the outside, Audi describes the SQ5 as “sharp without being showy” and “sporty without being impractical.”

I find the exterior styling a little uninspiring, but there are a few distinguishing hints, largely in badging, that indicate the SQ5 is something special.

Inside, however, the cabin is wonderfully finished in a simple yet classy way — certainly an Audi strong point. The flat bottom steering wheel, sport seats, badges and other touches help set the SQ5 apart from the base models.

While the 2015 Q5 starts at $42,600 in Canada, think of the SQ5 as the top of the food chain in the Q5 lineup.

RELATED: Audi Car Reviews?

Our tester had the top-level Technik trim, which adds Homelink, Audi side assist, adaptive front headlights and heated rear seats to the standard Progressiv trim features.

The test vehicle also had a number of options including a navigation package ($2,800), Bang & Olufsen Advanced Sound System ($1,000), 21-inch five-spoke design wheels ($1,000) and other features that took the as-tested price to $66,890. Add $2,095 for freight and PDI.

Among the standard features on the SQ5 are advance key with push button start, power tailgate, LED taillights, Audi drive select, panoramic power glass sunroof, SIRIUS satellite radio, heated front seats, S sport suspension, rear parking sensors, three-zone climate control, 10-speaker premium sound system, interior LED lighting package, 60/40 split folding rear seats, bi-xenon headlights with LED daytime running lights, front fog lights, Bluetooth, heated power adjustable auto-dimming side mirrors and headlight washers.

While the SQ5 is a compact offering, legroom front and rear is quite good. The front sport seats are supportive and comfortable with lots of adjustments and the rear seats slide fore and aft and recline.

With all seats in their upright position, there is 824 litres of cargo space, 1,622 litres with the rear seats folded.

On the safety front, the Q5/SQ5 is an Insurance Institute for Highway Safety Top Safety Pick +, its highest rating thanks to front crash prevention technology.

Perhaps because of the extensive powertrain lineup, the Q5/SQ5 is a sales leader in the competitive compact luxury crossover category where it is pitted against a host of other luxury sport crossovers like the BMW X3, Volvo XC60, Lexus RX 350 F-Sport and even its stablemate, the Porsche Macan.

So for those who value performance in a premium compact crossover the SQ5 is hard to beat.

?BODY STYLE: Four-door, luxury compact crossover.
DRIVE METHOD: Front engine, quattro all-wheel-drive.
ENGINE: 3.0-litre supercharged V6 (354 hp, 346 lb/ft of torque) with an eight-speed Tiptronic transmission.
TOW RATING: 2,000 kg (4,400 lb).
CARGO VOLUME: 824 litres behind second row, 1,622 litres behind first row.
FUEL ECONOMY: 14.1/9.9/12.2 L/100 km city/highway/combined.
PRICE: $59,600, as tested $66,890 plus $2,095 freight.

RELATED: 2015 Audi TT: Virtual cockpit highlights tech-heavy sports car

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