Mono block Wheels now trending to Multi-piece?

[Chris N]

I've been looking through quite a few picture posts trying to make my wheel decision. It seems that the older posts were mostly mono-block and now there are more and more multi-piece wheels showing up on the F8X. Is it just me or is this actually a trend? If so, why the change?

[Yas_sir]

I would agree; I think its a trend change. Pretty common for wheel trends to change.

90's and 2000's was all about chrome and white wheels. Then it was black wheels. Then wheels with lips came into style. Then monoblock. Now multi-piece.

I will say though, out of all these trends, throughout all these years...the TE37 still remains the fashionable icon.

[LOW4LYF]

It just took some time to make custom multi piece wheels with perfect M3/M4 fitment.

[corbs09]

It is more of a "trend" thing. I dont know about your area but "stancing" a car with wide multipiece wheels and lowering the car a lot is now very popular.

You are looking at pictures from two separate demographics.

1. People who want to track their car (light weight monoblock wheels)
2. People who want to go to car shows and are changing wheels purely for aesthetic (heavier multi-piece wheels)

As these cars become a little more reasonable to purchase used, you will start seeing more people putting crazy wheels and slamming them.

[dubsesd]

i have both styles and appreciate each one. i dont really think its a trend or fad, just a matter of preference or taste. i personally think monoblock wheels look more classy and multipiece look more aggressive and motorsport.

[x.shell]

I don't think it's a trend either. I believe it's due to more 2 and 3 piece designs becoming available like the BBS LM and LMR along with a lot of JDM brands and of course the boutique brands.

That being said, I think the BBS FI-Rs are to the F8X M3/M4 what the BBS RS was to the E30 M3.

[HRE_Wheels]

Originally Posted by dubsesd

i have both styles and appreciate each one. i dont really think its a trend or fad, just a matter of preference or taste. i personally think monoblock wheels look more classy and multipiece look more aggressive and motorsport.

Totally agree. 3-piece (multi-piece) wheels have been around for a long time, we built our reputation on it in the early 80s and 90s, but once Monoblock/1-piece wheels were made, we noticed the demand for it and sales spiked big time for those styles. Monoblock wheels didn't fully take over yet, but over time their progressed to becoming more and more popular, eventually more than 3-piece.

Despite that though, I totally agree with Dubsesd. I don't think it's a trend, rather some people view 3-piece wheels as being a better option to incorporate colors or a specific style that you're going for. I mean honestly, it could come down the simple fact that someone wants a traditional Polished Lip on the wheel, some prefer that look over a Monoblock design.

Personally, I think it depends on the design of the wheel that we're referring to as some designs look better in a 3-piece than they do their 1-piece variation. I tend to lean more towards 3-piece wheels myself only because the two vehicles I have wheels on at the moment take VERY wide fitments with lower offsets (18x11.5 ET6 and 18x12.5 ET30, the other set is 21x10.5 ET29 and 21x12 ET24 - neither is for an M3). I prefer 3-piece wheels in this instance because I specifically wanted a nice fat lip on there just because that's my style.

[grigiof80]

Originally Posted by HRE_Wheels

Totally agree. 3-piece (multi-piece) wheels have been around for a long time, we built our reputation on it in the early 80s and 90s, but once Monoblock/1-piece wheels were made, we noticed the demand for it and sales spiked big time for those styles. Monoblock wheels didn't fully take over yet, but over time their progressed to becoming more and more popular, eventually more than 3-piece.

Despite that though, I totally agree with Dubsesd. I don't think it's a trend, rather some people view 3-piece wheels as being a better option to incorporate colors or a specific style that you're going for. I mean honestly, it could come down the simple fact that someone wants a traditional Polished Lip on the wheel, some prefer that look over a Monoblock design.

Personally, I think it depends on the design of the wheel that we're referring to as some designs look better in a 3-piece than they do their 1-piece variation. I tend to lean more towards 3-piece wheels myself only because the two vehicles I have wheels on at the moment take VERY wide fitments with lower offsets (18x11.5 ET6 and 18x12.5 ET30, the other set is 21x10.5 ET29 and 21x12 ET24 - neither is for an M3). I prefer 3-piece wheels in this instance because I specifically wanted a nice fat lip on there just because that's my style.

would love to see those wheels

[Ferg]

Think cost is the biggest contributing factor.

[HRE_Wheels]

Originally Posted by grigiof80

would love to see those wheels

Just a crappy iPhone photo for now, I'm still building the car up, it's not in a pretty state at the moment.

Classic 300's, Brushed Purple Centers with Frozen Polished Dark Clear inners and outers:

[818M3]

Also, multi piece wheels (2 or 3 piece) are much more fragile and susceptible to bending or even cracking, giving the correct circumstances. Forged monoblock wheels are stronger in that sense do to one big solid piece of aluminum that is lathed and milled.

[ellipsis212]

Wet blanket hot take: multi-piece motorsport wheels have always been extravagantly priced and that kind of purchase has now been normalized.

[Sales@wheelsdc.com]

Originally Posted by HRE_Wheels

[FONT="Century Gothic"][SIZE="3"]Just a crappy iPhone photo for now, I'm still building the car up, it's not in a pretty state at the moment.

Classic 300's, Brushed Purple Centers with Frozen Polished Dark Clear inners and outers:

Nice!

[Rampant]

In the days of yore, the technology didn't exist that allowed one-piece wheels to compete with the weight saving that a 3-piece wheel allowed. 3-Piece wheels were expensive and mostly for motorsport purposes. Minimising un-sprung weight was mainly the preserve of motorsport for competitive advantage.

Newer and now cheaper technology advances mean that a one-piece can rival a lightweight 3-piece on weight and often be stronger overall in the process.

Advances like Porsche 993 Turbo hollow spoke technology have all helped in this process.

It has to be said, though, that some people fail to take into account the overall weight of wheel and tyre combination in their quest for a "lighter wheel". Sometimes a smaller wheel is lighter overall, when tyres are fitted, than a more expensive "exotic lightweight" larger rim with tyre fitted. All depends on whether un-sprung weight is the aim or whether it's purely down to aesthetics and showing off. (Clearly, brake size can also play a part in determining optimum wheels size for any given application)

Another point that really starts me off is people saying that a wider tyre offers a "larger contact patch". Which is total hogwash, if the same tyre pressure is used. All that happens is the tyre contact patch changes shape, not area (pressure is force over area - if weight of car is unchanged and tyre pressure is unchanged, then contact patch area is also unchanged. Contact patch will be wider, but shorter for a wider "similar tyre" and same tyre pressure.)

Yours Aye

Mark H