2018 was the year of the compact crossover, all-wheel drive becoming almost the norm, and electric cars hitting the mainstream. And we can expect 2019 to be as eventful as last year was. Changes in consumer habits are affecting how new cars are made, and we can expect many new trends to be introduced in the wheel and rim sector. But besides looks, more emphasis is now being put on performance across the board, and more wheel and rim designs are moving in this direction. Let’s take a look at some of the wheel and rim trends to keep an eye on in 2019.
Blackout Rims
Bright colored rims seem to be on the decline, while monochrome colors like gray and light metallic shades are still popular. However, those who want to be different are going in the opposite direction. The blackout look is all the rage right now and we should see a huge surge in the sale of blackout rims this year. Silver is still the norm for luxury cars, but we’ve seen vehicles like the new BMW 3 series with black alloy rims, and this could set the tone for other manufacturers. They’re particularly popular on sports cars and rugged SUVs.
Multi-Spoke Designs
Five and six spoke designs have been the rule for a while now. But we’ve seen several concept cars this year coming out with multi spoke rims. These designs are eye-catching, and they add a sporting look to everything from minivans and hatchbacks, like the new Q4 or the Mercedes Viano, for instance. Consumers no longer have to pay an arm and a leg for them either. Online suppliers allow customers to find multi spoke alloy rims for Mercedes Benz for a fraction of the price they’d have to pay offline.
Bold Spoke Designs
We can also expect to see more bold designs this year. The Lexus UX with its almost armored looking and thick 5 spoke wheel design is the perfect example. This is also becoming common with blackout rims, with the popularity of thick four spoke black rims on the rise.
We’re also seeing more and more rims with an almost floral tone to them. The new Continental GT comes with rounded dome-like spokes that extend from the middle to form what looks like petal-like shapes. We’ve also seen the same look on the new Cayenne, so there certainly seems to be a trend there.
Closed Rims
We’re also seeing the rise of closed rims that essentially hide the spokes altogether. These models are sporty and have an effect on performance, since hiding the rims reduces air resistance. And since closed rim reduces friction, they might also extend the range of electric cars as well, which could add to their popularity.
These are only some of the trends we can expect for this year. You can expect to see some of these all over the place in car shows and they will slowly start creeping their way onto our roads.