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Watching the wheels
© PorschePreparing a list of the coolest alloy wheels ever made was the easy part. Narrowing it down to just 20 designs presented more of a challenge. It’s a highly subjective opinion, of course, but we’re pretty sure you’ll appreciate the examples of circular beauty we’re about to roll out. There are more we could add, but right now, this is our top 20.
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Maserati Boomerang
© MaseratiWe’ve generally chosen to ignore the lure of concept cars, preferring to concentrate on the wheels that have, at the very least, made it into production. However, we’ll make an exception for the Maserati Boomerang. It might have stolen the show at the 1971 Turin Motor Show, but Giorgetto Giugiaro’s creation – complete with a 4.7-litre V8 engine and trick steering wheel – remains one of the best cars that might have been.
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Mazda RX-7 FB
© MazdaWe’ve got a bit of a love-hate relationship with three-spoke wheels. On a Saab, they look great. On a Toyota RAV4 or Vauxhall Corsa, less so. These 13-inch three-spoke alloys, with a design inspired by the Mazda’s rotary engine, slot neatly into the ‘love’ category. The Toyo wheels were available in Japan for the original ‘FB’ RX-7.
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BMW M1 TRX Campagnolo
© BMWToday, the M1 is – for very good reason – held aloft as one of the greatest supercars of all time. Famously, it was to be built by Lamborghini, until the Italian firm ran out of lira with only four prototypes constructed. BMW, along with designer Giugiaro, rescued the project from the brink of collapse and displayed an M1 at the 1978 Turin Motor Show. Its slatted 16-inch Campagnolo alloy wheels were unique to the M1 and so of their time.
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Lamborghini Countach Campagnolo Bravo
© LamborghiniSticking with Campagnolo wheels, you’ll instantly recognise these as the Bravo wheels fitted to the Lamborghini Countach. Indeed, they graced the LP 400 Series 1 cars, and are often referred to as ‘telephone dials’ or ‘five cylinder’ designs. Sadly, a fire at the Campagnolo factory left the company unable to continue manufacturing wheels for Lamborghini, which forced the firm into using OZ alloy wheels on the LP 500. The design was similar, but they weren’t quite as evocative as the earlier wheels.
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Audi A1 Quattro
© AudiAn Audi was sure to feature in a gallery focused on cool wheels, but while you might be expecting the Audi Sport Quattro, we’ve opted for the limited edition A1 Quattro. The 18-inch ‘turbine’ alloys provide proof that retro designs can be cool. Sadly, Audi limited production to 333 units, all in left-hand drive, meaning only a lucky few were able to enjoy this Glacier White supermini. Cooler than a set of Ronals on an original Audi Sport Quattro? You decide.
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Isuzu Impulse
© IsuzuThe Isuzu Impulse – also known as the Holden and Isuzu Piazza – is one of the coolest cars you might have forgotten. It was based on the equally alluring Asso di Fiori concept of 1979, a car we can once again credit to Giorgetto Giugiaro. The ‘cube’ design, found on some first-generation cars, could only have stemmed from the 1980s – and the polished effect simply adds to the appeal. If you got bored, you could play a game of solitaire at the roadside. Or grate some cheese if you got hungry.
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Ferrari F40 Speedline Corse
© FerrariIf fame is measured by the amount of bedroom wall posters sold during the 1980s, the F40 is probably the most famous Ferrari of all time. Built to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the marque, a total of 1,337 F40s were built between 1987 and 1992. Everything was honed to perfection, right down to the 17-inch Speedline Corse alloy wheels. There was a massive difference in width between the front and rear rims: eight inches at the front and 13 inches at the back.
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Porsche 911 Fuchs
© PorscheFor Fuchs sake, what took us so long to get to what is arguably the most famous Porsche wheel in history? The Fuchs wheel dates back to 1966, when a 4.5-inch rim was fitted to the Porsche 911S. This was a proper ‘form meets function’ approach, with the wheel designed to aid brake cooling. Throughout the 1970s, the Fuchs wheel grew wider and was still standard fitment during the 1980s. The Fuchs eventually died when the 964 was introduced in 1989, much to the disappointment of Porsche purists.
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Alfa Romeo Zender Milano
© Alfa RomeoThis might be a tad controversial, because we’ve chosen the Zender Milano – as seen here on the Alfa Romeo SZ – ahead of the iconic ‘Teledials’. If its fitment on ‘Il Mostro’ doesn’t convince you, search online for the Alfa 164 on a set of Zender Milanos. Be prepared to bite the back of your hand.
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Subaru Impreza
© SubaruTo some people, the combination of blue paint and gold alloys is coolness itself. Even when Subaru opted for black rather than blue paint – as seen here on the Catalunya special edition – the gold alloys still rocked. When Subaru unveiled the WRX STI Launch Edition in 2015, it had the sense to use WR Blue paint and gold BBS forged alloy wheels.
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BMW M5 ‘Turbines’
© BMWWe offer no apology for including a second BMW alloy wheel on our list, because this one is a classic. Between 1988 and 1992, the E34 M5 featured five-spoke M-System wheels with directional bolted-on wheel covers. These so-called ‘blowers’ were made from magnesium and were designed to increase the airflow to the brakes by 25 per cent. At the time, the covers were criticised for having the appearance of whitewall tyres, but they soon developed a cult following of their own.
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Saab 99 Turbo Inca turbo-vane
© SaabThe Saab Inca turbo-vane wheels made their debut at the 1977 Frankfurt Motor Show and were shod in Michelin TRX tyres. A classic was born, in more ways than one. The alloys represent the epitome of cool, not least because they were specially made for the 99 Turbo. The design mimics the shape of turbocharger blades, which is so very ‘Saab’ in its execution.
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Ronal Teddy Bear
© Ian Abbott – FlickrOnly kidding. Or are we?
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Ford Escort XR3 and XR3i
© FordFord’s ‘Teledial’ wheel is one of the most famous alloys of the 1980s. Indeed, while some rival hot hatches were better to drive than the XR3 and XR3i, by being the sharpest-dressed – with the blue-collar appeal of the blue oval – the Escort was a must-have car for many drivers. In 1985, an XR3i cost £7,275 with steel wheels or £7,425 with alloys. Most buyers chose the latter.
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Volkswagen Golf GTI Campaign
© VolkswagenOver the course of eight generations and 50 years, the Golf GTI has worn many different alloys, but with the possible exception of the Monza wheels fitted to the Mk5 GTI, none are as iconic as the Pirelli ‘P-slot’ wheels. They were an essential part of the Campaign package, which also featured a sunroof, tinted glass, leather steering wheel and twin headlights.
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Renault Clio Williams
© RenaultIn an era of hot hatches wearing 19- and 20-inch rims, the Clio Williams’ 15-inch alloys seem impossibly small. But they’re just one, very gold, part of one of the best hot hatches of the 1990s. In 2021, Renault Sport announced that it would be restocking the original Speedline alloys, complete with diamond edging and Renault markings. Yours for €269 (£230) each.
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Volvo ‘Libra’
© VolvoHere’s Volvo with proof that cool alloy wheel designs aren’t the preserve of hot hatches and performance cars. In 2008, the company unveiled sub-120g/km diesel variants of the C30, S40 and V50 under the ‘DRIVe’ banner. The aerodynamically optimised ‘Libra’ rims were designed to make the wheels look larger than they actually were, while reducing drag by up to 15 percent.
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Ford ‘Pepperpots’
© FordLooking back, it’s hard to believe that, in 1988, steel wheels were standard across the entire Ford Fiesta range. Some models even left the showroom without full wheel covers. What’s more, alloys were only an option on the XR2, in this case a set of 13-inch ‘Pepperpots’. We reckon they looked even better on the Capri 2.8i.
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Porsche ‘Teledials’
© PorscheReaders below a certain age might want to know where the ‘Teledial’ name stems from. It references the old rotary telephones, which have been consigned to period dramas and charity shops. Porsche first used them in 1978 on the 928, with the five oval slots designed to aid brake cooling. They were also used on the 944, 924 S and some versions of the 911.
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Mazda MX-5 ‘Daisy’
© MazdaThe Mazda MX-5 famously paid homage to British sports cars of the 1960s, most notably the Lotus Elan, not just in its styling, but also in the way it handled. Less known is the fact that the seven-spoke alloys fitted to early cars were inspired by eight-spoke Minilites. They’re known as the ‘Daisy’ design.