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Coming from the BMW world, I noticed that APEX is finally releasing their Porsche wheels. Having run their wheels with success on my E90 M3, I am glad to see they have solutions for the Porsche marque.
They’re offering 18” specifications for the 997 GT3 that will clear the 380mm 6-pot brakes, so I don’t know why they didn’t post here, but I wanted to spread the word.
Anyone else here have experience with these wheels?
I have 2 sets of these (18x10) for my BMW race car. They are strong wheels that hold up to the abuse of track driving.
Originally Posted by surlynkid
I had two sets when I had my e92 M3. I just ordered a set for my gt3 and May up that to 2 sets before it is done.
Thank you for your continual support, gentlemen. It is always great to get insight from enthusiasts who have a history of putting our wheels to the test within other vehicle platforms.
Originally Posted by CosmosMpower
OZ's same price, lighter and look better and are available now, the only downside is fronts are 8.5 not 9
While we can appreciate these thoughts, not all stand entirely true. Those that do are not necessarily without compromise.
With the Group Buy platform, our SM-10 are ~15-20% cheaper than the OZ offerings and nearly on par when sold at MSRP. With our higher load rating, JWL/VIA tested strength, reinforced inner lips, knurled bead, and superior fitments, we believe that via the Group Buy or at MSRP, the SM-10 will be a welcomed addition to the marketplace and fill many current voids that Porsche track enthusiasts face.
Aesthetically, the I-beam scalloped spokes and concavity profiles are difficult to accurately illustrate via on-car photography/renderings. In reality, those details are quite prominent which we believe contribute to the SM-10’s aesthetic appeal. We expect to have sample wheels in the coming weeks, so please be on the lookout for detailed pictures. With that said, there are far too many wheel options out in the world from manufactures that focus their efforts on the design aspect of a wheel. At the end of the day, that is not how we bring value to our customers. The design of our wheels lend themselves to proper brake clearance, weight and strength optimization, and load distribution first and foremost. Chasing designs to meet ever changing aesthetic preferences is not the fight we want to fight.
Structurally, our 18” APEX 5x130 Porsche wheels are built to exceed the VIA/JWL’s tested load rating standard of 735KG, and are third-party tested by them to ensure no corners were cut. We test and certify each and every design, diameter, width, and offset, separately. While a circular hunk of aluminum would provide for an extremely strong wheel with a very high load rating, these wheels still have to function in a high performance environment. Finding the happy medium between weight and strength is key. Simply put, we did not want to be the lightest by gambling with strength figures.
As a grassroots motorsport oriented company comprised of auto enthusiasts, we understand that enthusiasts from all avenues of the Porsche community seek solutions with APEX. Whether that’s producing a tried, tested, and true wheel worthy of severe track abuse, or providing superior customer service, we stand behind our products unequivocally.
In all seriousness, I'm not running APEX wheels...don't work for them...but am interested.
If there are any other 18" wheels out there for approximately $1500 delivered that have the same or better features, strength and looks, I"m all ears. I'd love to know. I've looked around a lot and haven't found anything. The best I've found (aside from the normal OZ's, Forgestar's, etc - which I don't like the looks of) are 100% forged rims from Signature Forged that have beautiful brushed color finish options but they're $3400 with bead seat knurling.
Anyhow, Apex is going to do a test fit and photo's of a 18x9 and 18x12 setup on my 911 in the coming weeks and if I like them, I'll be buying a set for sure.
Personally, I like the design quite a bit. The machined spokes look good. I also think the 10 spoke design looks good on the 911 body.
ETA: I already have two sets of more expensive wheels. I'm a bit of a wheel *****. This third set would be to allow me to run a wider tire setup and a new look sometimes.
05-03-2018, 06:25 PM
New Option For 18" Track Wheels
