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SEMA Show 2005: Rims & Timbs
It wasn't long ago that the thought of 20s, 22s, 24s and even bigger sized wheels on a street legal automobile was a mere dream of extreme auto junkies who wanted to differentiate their vehicles from the next man's. The aftermarket industry has grown from an underground trend to the mainstream where urban city youths and suburban moms have something in common -- 22" rims on their Escalades and low profile tires on their Magnums. Just like adding a fresh, crisp pair of Timberland boots to your outfit, custom wheels create the same finishing effect to just about any vehicle.
The 2005 SEMA Show had them all, from high end to low end. There was chrome, brushed aluminum, gold plated, programmable LED, multi-color, diamond studded wheels and more to take it to the next level. If you can imagine it, it was out there. For a minute, one-piece rims were the upgrade standard, but now stronger and better looking two and three-piece wheels are what consumers are looking for. A multi-piece rim is now stronger and more apt to handle the punishment of everyday driving. But potholes, terrible road conditions and bad parallel parking will eat your rims up like kids with candy.
Building and selling aftermarket wheels is a business that takes imagination, resources, and actually a little amount of thievery. With an overabundance of wheel companies to choose from, you have low/mid-range suppliers like TSW, Rennen, Zenetti, and Hypnotic to the ultra-high-end companies like Davin, Lexani, HRE and Giovanna who are doing it. As Rennen International owner Weizrung Lee stated, ñMost wheel companies use the same Chinese manufacturers to make their designs because cost and labor is cheap and the quality is good. Only a handful of American companies like American Racing and MHT actually design and build their wheels in the U.S."
If you think most rims look like the next, then you are not bugging. Many designers take good qualities from their competitors design and replicate them while changing maybe one component to keep from patent infringement. It is a cutthroat business which has people rushing to put the latest fad on their rides. Even tire manufacturers like Michelin Continental and Kumho have stepped up their tire offerings to keep up with the growing rim sizes.
Like Dan McCutchen mentioned, ñThere are a few companies killing the game like Giovanna and their new GFG rim offerings and Kinesis Wheels and their multi-color rim sets." Everyone has their niche. Though fads come and go like the spinner, one that just passed, best believe there is some dude looking at his car right now imagining what type of sneaks would best fit his ride. Simultaneously, there is a designer and manufacturer thinking of how to build and sell them.
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