10 icons of classic wheel design

The wheels have it!

It could be argued that wheels are the single most important design feature on a car.

They give a car its identity, and make the difference between something that’s merely very handsome and a wow-factor version. 

Some wheel designs have even transcended the original car itself to become design icons in their own right. And, unsurprisingly, fashion plays a large role in their design.

So let’s celebrate some of the best! A top 10 can never be an exhaustive list, but here’s an eclectic mix of obvious, and not quite so obvious, designs that have made their mark on the automotive world. Enjoy!

1. Datsun’s slot design

First conceived in the 1960s as a light magnesium racing wheel, the slot design is actually a conventional five-spoke design with slotted holes that gave them their distinctive appearance.

‘Slots’ were one of the first aftermarket wheels to be fitted to pretty much anything that moved. What helped make them ubiquitous was their simplicity of design and availability in every diameter and width possible.

Dozens of companies copied the design and have over the last 60 years supplied ‘slots’ to countless car enthusiasts.

Datsun’s slot design (cont.)

Although not available as standard, Datsun did offer them as an alloy option on their ‘Z’ cars from the standard steel wheels and hubcaps.

Since then, many an owner has upgraded to the slot design and instantly made a huge leap in cool to a factor of 10.

2. Ghibli’s gorgeous Campagnolos

The striking Giorgio Giugiaro-designed Ghibli first appeared in 1966 to a delighted Italian crowd.

Not only had Ghia’s chief designer created a stunningly beautiful piece of work, he’d also introduced the world to an equally striking wheel design.

Engineered by purveyors of reassuringly expensive wheels for anyone with the funds available, Campagnolo was responsible for these particular beauties.

Ghibli’s gorgeous Campagnolos (cont.)

Campagnolo’s fabulous magnesium wheels were the ones to have for many Italian manufacturers such as Ferrari, Lamborghini as well as Maserati.

Lighter and stronger than alloy, the fact they contained magnesium ticked even more boxes.

3. The Aston Martin DB5’s wire wheels

Wire wheels. Where would most British car companies be without them? They serve as shorthand for ‘sporty’ on everything from a humble MG all the way up to the fabulously sexy DB5.

In 1802, GF Bauer registered a patent for the first wire tension spoked design. He would surely have been thrilled to see how his idea was adopted by racers the world over to give themselves a performance advantage.

Lightness coupled with the revolutionary knock-off centre-nut fastening made for super-fast wheel changes of mere minutes…

The Aston Martin DB5’s wire wheels (cont.)

Never has a wire wheel looked cooler, though, than gracing James Bond’s Aston Martin DB5.

However, 007 surely would have tired of the intricate design, had he had to clean and polish all 72 spokes of these chromed beauties.

4. Ford four-spokes

If you’re lucky enough to have a quick Ford from the 1970s, chances are it wears a rather groovy set of four-spoke alloys.

Apart from being infinitely cooler than the standard steelies, they also had the added advantage of strength and lightness and look right at home on fast Escorts, Fiestas and Capris.

Ford four-spokes (cont.)

Originally created for the Escort Mexico, the four-spoke designs have not only the manufacturer stamped into the spokes, they also carry the size and date manufactured. All rather useful. 

For the real spotters out there, early GKN-made versions were much better proportioned and can be differentiated from later Ford-made ones by having thinner spokes.

5. The Lancia Integrale’s Cromodoras

The Lancia Delta Integrale manages to be at the same time the most square and boxy child of the ’80s, yet it sports some of the sexiest wheels ever to appear on an Italian hatch.

Cromodora was responsible for these multi-spoked wonders. Not surprising really, as the firm also had a hand in the design of many other gorgeous designs for Lancia, Fiat, Ferrari, BMW and others.

The Lancia Integrale’s Cromodoras (cont.)

Equally at home on a full-fat rally car blasting its way sideways through a night stage, than it is wowing crowds at any concours, this design elegantly mixes curves with straight lines.

Much like the iconic car itself.

6. VW Golf GTI’s Pirelli P-slot alloys

Can you imagine a Mk1 VW Golf GTI on anything other than Pirelli P-slot alloys? Somehow, the blatant advertising of the Italian tyre company mixed with the sharp lines of the German hatch just seems to work.

Although conceived as a wheel for the Campaign model, the GTI owners who ticked the ‘Pirelli P’ option box for their new hot hatch are the ones who cemented the legend.

VW Golf GTI’s Pirelli P-slot alloys (cont.)

Purists will tell you the earlier 14in wheels are more elegant as the gap between the ‘P’ slots is 7mm, whereas the later Mk2 GTI versions had a 10mm gap to allow for the heavier weight of the later car.

No matter, they are the best-looking wheel for the original hot hatch.

7. Lamborghini Countach

Simply one of the most impactful designs the automotive world has ever seen. Hands down.

When the original Lamborghini Countach first hit the autostradas in 1974, it felt like aliens had invaded and were using these land-based spaceships to get around. 

And they had the wheels to match.

Lamborghini Countach (cont.)

These evocative, tele-dial alloys wrapped in enormous 345/35 VR15 Pirelli P7 rubber definitely look the part!

The combination just screams ‘Athena poster’. Exactly what a Lamborghini Countach should do.

8. Minilites

When John Ford and Derek Power first conceived the Minilite design in 1962, little did they know that their diminutive 10in creation would still be in production nearly 60 years later.

Born out of the desire to make the new Austin Mini a competition hero, the revolutionary super-light magnesium wheel was bolted to every racing Mini in the 1960s. 

Once the magnesium versions were deemed too expensive and too explosive to carry on, they were cast in aluminium which continues to this day.

Minilites (cont.)

They aren’t just pretty, though, function dictates the shape of the spokes and flows air over the brakes to keep the tiny discs cool.

Whether bolted to a racing Mini or a more rorty Hillman Avenger Tiger like the one above, it’s a timeless look that seems to just work on hundreds of cars. A sign of a great design.

9. Renault 18 Turbo

It is not what you might consider a ‘looker’ – the Renault 18 Turbo was, quite frankly, a bit of an ugly duckling.

However, what made it worth consideration when it first appeared in 1981 was the witchcraft under the bonnet, in the shape of a Garrett T3 turbocharger.

Oh, and those wheels…

Renault 18 Turbo (cont.)

It’s a good job the wheels looked as awesome as they did, because the rest of the car looked pretty much identical to a poverty-spec version.

Amazingly, the Renault wheel department managed to design a wheel consisting entirely of straight lines in a neat display of 1980s futurism. Whoever was responsible back at Renault HQ was clearly a mathematical genius.

10. Lancia Stratos

Another Gandini masterpiece.

For a car with a wheelbase shorter than an MX-5 and a mid-mounted Ferrari Dino 2.4 V6, it had to have an amazing-looking wheel to match.

And these gold-painted, magnesium Campagnolos more than fitted the bill.

Lancia Stratos (cont.)

Out of the various options Lancia offered for the Stratos, the rather worryingly nicknamed ‘coffin spoke’ design is the one to have.

Blending competition aggression with Italian style they ooze class out of every spoke.