Wheel rims: creativity on display

When I was a boy, rims similar to this were called mags and often made in the Detroit area where I lived.

Mags are light weight, strong, spoked wheels made from a magnesium alloy. They were expensive and high maintenance.

An aftermarket item, young men quickly discovered that new rims and tires were a quick way to modify a car. To save money, the new rims were often cast rather than forged.

Today, snow tires are the only tires regularly mounted on traditional steel rims. Disgustingly plebian, all too often these winter-use rims are left naked, no wheel covers.

As spring arrives, pay attention and you will notice literally dozens and dozens of different alloy wheel rim designs being remounted for warm weather use. I'm absolutely amazed at the number of different designs. New cars come with alloy wheels and ever make, every model, carries its own unique design.

I believe coming up with a new look is getting tough. The other day I saw an expensive SUV with horrible looking alloy rims. In a word, they were "ugly." But I digress. The point of this post is that the great creativity of the human race is on display in the myriad number of alloy rim designs with each striving to be unique.