Our Wheels Won't Get Any Bigger, Audi Design Chief Says
Earlier this month, I was looking at the apparently large arch gap on a Porsche Taycan 4S. I wondered what dinky size rims had been fitted. On closer inspection, I found the answer: 19 inches.
Once upon a time, that would have seemed massive, but with cars getting larger and the wheels that go in at each corner growing in size to suit, that’s not the case any more. But there is an end in sight, at least for some brands. Audi may have fitted 23-inch alloys to the new RS Q8 super SUV, but it looks like that’s as far as the company will go.
“Package wise, I would say this is definitely close to the limit,” Audi’s head of design Marc Lichte told Motor Authority. To upsize any further “make no sense,” he added, as vehicle footprints have been pushed as far as they ever will be.
It’s important that this has come from someone like Lichte, as designers normally love to fit vast wheels on their cars, even if the end-user is going to suffer from the compromise made to ride quality.
That the wheel gigantification trend seems to be finally tailing off is good news. And for anyone putting in an order for an RS Q8 right now, it is worth pointing out that you can - and should - opt for a sensible-ish set of wheels measuring either 20 or 21 inches in diameter.
Growing up on a diet of World Rally Championship highlights and lengthy Gran Turismo 2 sessions, a life in cars was as good as inevitable for Matt.
Comments
Leave that to the aftermarket 😂
well lets hope they do something about those damn fake exhausts
Right about time
Please just make normal cars again so you don’t need 22x12s to make it look right, screw SUVs! 💣
Agreed
Audi is the wagon brand, I hope that doesnt go away
X Doubt
Not like they can make them any bigger
Audi: Our wheels won’t get any bigger. To upsize any further makes no sense.
‘Murica: lol
Maybey it is smarter to let the 22” as the max audi maybey its better instead of going full donk
Audi rims actually look really good