What is with Ferrari and the small wheels? | FerrariChat
Buy

What is with Ferrari and the small wheels?

Discussion in 'Ferrari Discussion (not model specific)' started by Igor Ound, Aug 15, 2014.

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

  1. Igor Ound

    Igor Ound F1 Veteran

    Sep 30, 2012
    8,102
    The Horn
    Full Name:
    Igor Ound
    #1 Igor Ound, Aug 15, 2014
    I can't help but noticing, with every new model that comes out, how the wheels don't quite fill the arches, at least not in production form. The concepts and sketches are often fine but the final product always disappoints.
    No doubt they help with comfort and costs but I'm sure Ferrari can make the larger diameter work just as well and on budget, as all other supercar makers do.
    And surely, you can buy aftermarket ones if you so wish, but then the gearing is probably compromised while the originality definitely is.
    Just look at the sp-trs. It looks magnificent with the non original larger rims. Why weren't they standard? If it is an SP, why did the guy have to go for aftermarket ones instead of Ferrari doing them?
    Honest question.
    All cars would look so much better and more modern.
    My 2 cents.
     
  2. Todd308TR

    Todd308TR F1 World Champ

    Nov 25, 2010
    11,071
    LA
    Full Name:
    Todd
    #2 Todd308TR, Aug 15, 2014
    You think modern wheels are small in diameter? What you are seeing is a reasonable ride height from the factory and later on people lowering their cars, that is all.
     
  3. Igor Ound

    Igor Ound F1 Veteran

    Sep 30, 2012
    8,102
    The Horn
    Full Name:
    Igor Ound
    #3 Igor Ound, Aug 15, 2014
    Last edited: Aug 15, 2014
    I just think Ferrari generally uses smaller rims than other manufacturers. Take LaFerrari vs P1 vs 918 as example. Why?

    Or have a look at this http://up.autotitre.com/f2b4e30edd.jpg Why?

    Bigger is better!
     
  4. ztarum

    ztarum Formula 3

    Mar 30, 2008
    1,302
    South Jersey, USA
    #4 ztarum, Aug 15, 2014
    As rims become larger in diameter and tires have smaller and smaller sidewall height (relative to the rim diameter), it become almost impossible to make the wheel look good in the wheel well opening while still maintaining reasonable ride height and characteristics. As has often been said, the gap between the top of the tire and the wheel well opening needs to be less than the sidewall height of the tire for it to look good. When you have a 20+" wheel wearing rubberband tires, this becomes very difficult.

    I actually wish the OEMs would lay off the giant wheels and use something more reasonable. When will it all stop? It used to be the 17" was huge, now it's tiny.
     
  5. REALZEUS

    REALZEUS F1 Veteran

    Feb 16, 2011
    8,321
    Bournemouth, UK
    #5 REALZEUS, Aug 15, 2014
    Ferrari, and all manufacturers for that matter, tune the suspension and choose the wheels based on handling and ride characteristics. Leave the huge wheels that destroy ride and handling for the vulgar rappers.
     
  6. Igor Ound

    Igor Ound F1 Veteran

    Sep 30, 2012
    8,102
    The Horn
    Full Name:
    Igor Ound
    #6 Igor Ound, Aug 15, 2014
    The sp-trs is hardly for rappers and iirc the Laferrari has smaller rims than the both its competitors.
    Novitec Ferraris is how I would expect to see them from the start.

    Well, might be the only one bothered, but I see this problem only with Ferraris.
     
  7. REALZEUS

    REALZEUS F1 Veteran

    Feb 16, 2011
    8,321
    Bournemouth, UK
    #7 REALZEUS, Aug 15, 2014
    LaFerrari has been tuned for speed and thus has asymetric wheels, 19" fronts and 20" rears. Bigger is not better. Optimal is best. BTW, I think that the P1 also has 19".

    The head chassis engineer of Jaguar said once that the XF was optimised for 18" wheels and whoever loves driving should get these instead of the 19", or even worse, the 20" optional wheels.
     
  8. Mitch Alsup

    Mitch Alsup F1 Veteran

    Nov 4, 2003
    9,654
    #8 Mitch Alsup, Aug 15, 2014
    The problem is in your eye.

    Wheels need to be big enough to set the car at the proper ride height with chosen tires.
    Wheels need to be small enough that the tires have adequate side-wall.
    The wheel/tire combination needs to not touch the body of the car at any compression/expansion and at any steering wheel input.

    There are good reasons race cars run with negligible clearance from wheel/tire to opening in the body. Passenger cars have suspensions where the wheel/tire combination move several inches while race cars have suspensions that move several millimeters.
     
  9. Voda

    Voda Formula 3

    Oct 10, 2013
    1,808
    Seattle
    #9 Voda, Aug 15, 2014
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
  10. Voda

    Voda Formula 3

    Oct 10, 2013
    1,808
    Seattle
    #10 Voda, Aug 15, 2014
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    Or maybe this would be better: And this introduces a new possibility....maybe the focus has been wrong all this time and its the Size of the Wheels that we need to "pick up girls"
    Image Unavailable, Please Login
     
  11. Bullfighter

    Bullfighter Two Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Jan 26, 2005
    22,578
    Gates Mills, Ohio
    Full Name:
    Jon
    #11 Bullfighter, Aug 15, 2014
    What he said. Plus tire wear is ridiculous on 19"-20"+ rims and ride quality is terrible on public roads (which are what we all drive on).
     
  12. godabitibi

    godabitibi F1 Veteran

    Jan 11, 2012
    6,329
    Papineauville, Quebec
    Full Name:
    Claude Laforest
    #12 godabitibi, Aug 15, 2014
    Too big Wheel and thin tires look like bandwagon wheels. Hugly!!
     
  13. LightGuy

    LightGuy Four Time F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Oct 4, 2004
    44,745
    Texas
    Full Name:
    David
    #13 LightGuy, Aug 15, 2014
    Small wheels leave room for extra profits in the option box.
    Also allows lowering for the Speciale models.
     
  14. Voda

    Voda Formula 3

    Oct 10, 2013
    1,808
    Seattle
    #14 Voda, Aug 15, 2014
  15. Igor Ound

    Igor Ound F1 Veteran

    Sep 30, 2012
    8,102
    The Horn
    Full Name:
    Igor Ound
    #15 Igor Ound, Aug 15, 2014
    Very funny and everything but I don't see this problem on many other cars. Maserati is one of the few others for example. Is it a Fiat thing? Lightguy's explanation seems the likeliest.
     
  16. 707

    707 Karting

    May 29, 2014
    175
    Full Name:
    Alex
    #16 707, Aug 15, 2014
    I always had a suspicion it is for air flow and brake cooling.The gap to let the hot air escape. Anything odd on a ferrari is probably there for a reason ;)
     
  17. Schulz308

    Schulz308 Formula 3
    Rossa Subscribed

    May 21, 2014
    1,500
    STL USA
    #17 Schulz308, Aug 15, 2014
    IMO BMW has the award for best looking factory wheels throughout the years.
     
  18. V-TWELVE

    V-TWELVE Formula 3
    Rossa Subscribed

    Jan 1, 2007
    1,800
    Vancouver, BC
    #18 V-TWELVE, Aug 16, 2014
    Concepts and race cars always look better with their lowered stance but those cars don't have to perform in the real world. Real road cars need to go over varied terrain, objects and speed bumps. Engineers need room for movement in the wheel wells and a ride height for ground clearance. When anyone lowers their car for looks, they are taking away some of its ability on the road. Remember that next time a guy in a lowered car has to creep over a speed bump at a 45 deg angle.
     
  19. V-TWELVE

    V-TWELVE Formula 3
    Rossa Subscribed

    Jan 1, 2007
    1,800
    Vancouver, BC
    #19 V-TWELVE, Aug 16, 2014
    IMO BMW has not deserved any awards since it was Bangleized.
     
  20. Ingenere

    Ingenere F1 Veteran
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Dec 11, 2001
    6,438
    On the Limit
    Full Name:
    Dino
    #20 Ingenere, Aug 17, 2014
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    What the hell is the problem. Does the OP actually have a modern Ferrari or just a stack of magazines?

    It's about ride and handling, in the real world, but I really don't see a problem...
    Image Unavailable, Please Login
     
  21. Igor Ound

    Igor Ound F1 Veteran

    Sep 30, 2012
    8,102
    The Horn
    Full Name:
    Igor Ound
    #21 Igor Ound, Aug 18, 2014
    Last edited: Aug 18, 2014
    The 360 looks alright but especially the latest SPs look terribile apart from the Sp trs where the owner put some after market bigger wheels. Have a look at the sp30 and sp ffx. The ff and California too look so much better with larger wheels. Probably it's just that Ferraris are getting bigger.
     
  22. anunakki

    anunakki Seven Time F1 World Champ
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    Oct 8, 2005
    78,515
    Las Vegas Nevada
    Full Name:
    Jerry
    #22 anunakki, Aug 18, 2014
    Ferraris dont have small wheels, they simply allow some room for the suspension to travel because they design the cars to actually be used on a track.
     
  23. Lawin

    Lawin Karting

    Jul 23, 2005
    91
    Seattle, WA
    Full Name:
    Larry Nguyen
    #23 Lawin, Aug 18, 2014
    The main reason a car goes to a bigger wheel is to fit larger brakes. The larger brakes need the clearance of a larger diameter wheel.

    I agree the ride height looks a bit high on the 458 and Speciale in particular. This is driven by road compliance, not scraping on steep grades, and DOT regulations require the headlights to be a certain height (hence the death of the Ford GT).

    However, this is all a non-issue as the newer cars all have adjustable coilovers from the factory. Every Ferrari I own has been lowered by the dealer. They just look right when they are lowered. Take my opinion with a grain of rice as I have a special spot in my heart for modding japanese cars :D
     
  24. Voda

    Voda Formula 3

    Oct 10, 2013
    1,808
    Seattle
    #24 Voda, Aug 18, 2014
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    Wheel fetish??
    Maybe you should scrap the F-car idea altogether and go for something like:
    Image Unavailable, Please Login
     
  25. Igor Ound

    Igor Ound F1 Veteran

    Sep 30, 2012
    8,102
    The Horn
    Full Name:
    Igor Ound
    #25 Igor Ound, Aug 18, 2014
    Last edited: Aug 18, 2014
    This is what I mean:

    http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/143264025-post124.html

    Not the clearance, the height, nor necessarily the rim itself. It's the final diameter of the tyre that looks out of proportion and makes the car look outdated.

    Or have a look at the 2 sp trs in this page.

    http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/ff-f12/450653-f12-trs-13.html

    The one with the larger wheels at the top looks so much better than the original one. I know rappers and modders have taken this too far but Ferrari seems a step back in comparison with other supercars. Modern Lambos, Porsches, Astons and even Maccas look better proportioned. Just a thought.
     

Share This Page