Why are the boutique wheels like the Speedlines and RUF's heavy when everything I know about higher performance gear says that lighter weight parts, especially parts that rotate, are generally more desirable? As long as the wheels can withstand the daily rigors of being on the road why not be as light as possible?

 

Please stop using common sense. Some people like shiny things more than performance perhaps LOL

 

Shhh, this is the Porsche twilight zone, where wheels cost and weigh more than any high school kid would tolerate on his Civic or Subaru. Where an 18x8 wheel that weighs 20.5 lbs and an 18x10 wheel that weighs 22.7 lbs are highly desirable "lightweight" wheels.

In the good old days, Porsche put stunningly beautiful 15 lb forged wheels on their cars.

 

Yeah, 6x15 lightweights, they'll work really well on your 993

 

Well, sure, but we might get a bit closer to the well-under 20 lb forged 18s that are commonly available for other cars.

It's definitely odd when $30-something-k Japanese performance sedans come with light, strong forged wheels, but $80-something-k Porsches don't. And the aftermarket for those Japanese cars is flooded with slightly less strong but much lighter forged wheels, while Porsches get 30 lb Ruf 19s or $1000 wheels with lots and lots of little screws.

 

Agreed, an 18x8 hollow spoke front wheel + tyre weighs 37lb.
A 16x7 993 cup wheel + tyre weighs 35lb
A 16x7 Audi A4 wheel + tyre weighs 33lb!

 

The speedlines are heavy, but they have the advantage of being very strong, which is useful on track.

 

The volks (same high-quality, lightweight, reasonably-priced wheels the "high schoolers" use) now come in fitments for p-cars and look damn decent on a 993.

18"x8.5" - 18.0lbs
18"x10" - 19.5lbs
$2440 for the set @ tirerack.

 

With a low profile tire, big wheels bend. At first you will take it in thinking the tire is out of balance to find out you need another $1,000+ wheel.

I choose a set of RUF wheels because they don't bend as easly as the lighter type out there. It is a compermise but not a noticable one in my opinion. I would choose RUF again and again over a "light" wheel.

 

its all in the bling....remember the target market for porsche has changed.....now they cater for more people...higher production cars. MOST people that drive these cars now are not the week-end racer from before and they dont even know what a wheel weighs

 

The thing that shocked me about the Ruf wheels is that they are made by OZ who pride themselves on making lightweight wheels.

 

But then you need another set for the right side.

The expensive vs cheap wheel math is complicated. Until Tirerack started carrying them, the Volks for Porsche were special order from Japan with a 2-3 month wait. So you spend $700 a wheel and if you do happen to bend one, you're parked for months. Or you could just buy a few spares: cha-ching.

On the other hand, you could buy an almost as lightweight cast wheel for ~$200 each, and if/when one bends you get another one overnighted from the well-stocked US warehouse. In reality, even cheap cast wheels don't bend or break much more often than expensive wheels despite the several oft-repeated internet anecdotes.

I know that many people especially in the Porsche world regard wheels as jewelry, but they really are consumables.

If you want an exercise in frustration, search for wheels for a Nissan 350Z. They use 18x8 and 18x10 (or 10.5) wheels too. Look at the selection. Look at the weights. Look at the prices. Even some of the styling isn't too ricey.

 

I thought Speedline made the RUF rims?

 

They did

As for the other concerns, obsessing about the weight of one component is ridiculous. Every time a part is chosen, whether for use or for the discard pile, there are compromises that are made. For wheels a balance between size, weight, strength, availability, cost, ease of cleaning and appearance is made. Everyone will value each attribute acording to their individual needs and taste.

as far as weight goes, looking only at a typical 225/40x18 front weight goes from 20 - 28# per tire and wheel weight for an 8(or 8.5 unfortunately 8 is not offered across the board) x18 wheel from 18 to 29#. So you pick the one that is the best compromise for you. Most drivers, especially on the street, will never be able to feel a 5# difference, even 10# is not wildly apparant.

Yes, Speedlines are at the heavier end of the weight spectrum but they have other attributes that may be as or more important to some owners.

 

Oh and as an added point of information, one of the lightest(20# 8x18/20#225/40x18), cheapest, strongest, easist to clean, and best looking(jmo) is a MY02 996 5 spoke/MPSC


but I am willing to compromise in another direction for street use, The boat anchor Speedlines do fine