Word: wheelings
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Dates: during 2000-2009
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...lure of expensive wheels is one reason that auto theft is on the rise in the U.S. after declining for most of the past decade, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, based in Chicago. "For a professional crook, wheel locks are a very minor inconvenience," says Sergeant Joe Thrasher, who supervises California's Orange County auto-theft task force. So while a nice set of rims lends a certain amount of street credibility, it's best to avoid parking on the street...
...Flashy wheels come with other downsides too. For an extra $8,000 or $10,000, a dealer will happily upgrade the standard 17-in. wheels on an SUV to 22- or even 24-in. rims, which often requires shaving off part of the wheel well. Plus-size rims have to be paired with thinner tires, which means the ride gets bumpier, the braking distance increases and the turning radius is diminished. "Instead of making a three-point turn, you might have to do a 16-point turn," says John Jarasa, editor of Dub, one of a handful of magazines that...
Toyota is taking a different approach to the customization craze. Its new line of Gen Y-oriented Scions will hit dealer lots in June with a standard package that lets buyers choose from three wheel-cover designs--or pay $665 to upgrade to ritzier alloy rims. "A lot of people go right out and buy custom wheels," says spokeswoman Ming-Jou Chen. "We want to give them a choice from the factory." A choice, mind you, that is no bigger than...
Meanwhile, American Racing, the country's biggest custom-wheel maker, has seen sales of its big wheels grow 40% over the past year and is preparing to launch a second plus-size line called Twenty Inches Strong. Like several of its competitors, the company, based in Rancho Dominguez, Calif., debuted a 26-in. wheel long before there was a "street-legal" tire to go with it. (South Korea's Kumho Industrial started shipping a 26-in. tire last month, the first to meet federal testing requirements.) The good news for Detroit is that big rims are finally maxing out. Bazo...
Size limitations mean wheelmakers will have to find other ways to stand out. Japan's Enkei has produced the first 24-in. forged wheel, which weighs 30% less than ones that are cast. Italy's Momo and Japan's Lowenhart are pushing wheels with parts that can be popped out and painted to match the car. KMC Wheel, in Riverside, Calif., which is making the rims for Hot Wheels, is also going after off-roading enthusiasts who are looking for sturdiness as well as style...