New Forged VS-5RX Wheels for SUV and EV

For the first time ever, Apex has designed a wheel engineered specifically for SUV and EV applications. This is an incredibly lightweight design that offers a measurable performance upgrade with flush, no hassle fitments, and has the higher load ratings these heavier vehicles demand.

Apex’s priority has always been offering Real Performance wheels for chassis that saw track time, but we’ve been asked many times about producing SUV-specific wheels. Times have changed and so have the capabilities of SUVs and EVs – many of which are now high-performance platforms in their own right. The time has finally come for Apex’s first wheel for SUV and EV applications: The forged VS-5RX.

The VS-5RX features the aggressive aesthetic of our popular split 5-spoke design, but was engineered to redefine the category for high-performance SUV and EV wheels. This wheel boasts many of the track-proven features found on our Enduro Line wheels, but optimized for these platforms with some street-oriented touches. The VS-5RX is a design that offers a total solution optimizing strength, stiffness, and especially lightness in tailor-made fitments that were painstakingly designed for an aggressive, flush fitment. No rubbing, no modifications or hassle involved, and engineered to clear the massive brakes found on many of these vehicles. And most of the fitments are compatible with OEM tire specs, making it a true plug-and-play wheel.

For the New Breed of SUV and EV

The impressive capability and power output of modern SUV and EV chassis is undeniable, but the fact remains that they’re heavier vehicles that demand a lot from their wheels. The loads these chassis generate require a wheel engineered with some very specific features, and their power output  and handling capabilities beg for more than just strength from a performance wheel. In order to make a truly uncompromising wheel for SUVs and EVs, we needed to do a lot to engineer the right blend of strength, stiffness, and lightness into the VS-5RX.

Like the VS-5RE, the VS-5RX features a 2100 lb load rating, appropriate for these heavier applications. This results in a thicker spoke that is 25% stiffer than an equivalent Sprint Line wheel, which allows these wheels to handle the load requirements of SUV and EV platforms. That’s particularly important when making a wheel for heavier platforms like the Tesla Model S. The VS-5RX is an uncompromising design that efficiently uses extra material in key areas to benefit performance, stiffness, and durability in measurable ways without a needless increase in weight.

Weight-savings were a primary focus when we set out to create these wheels. We wanted to make a wheel that wasn’t just an aesthetic upgrade, but truly brought out the best in high performance SUVs and EVs, and the VS-5RX is a remarkably lightweight design at over ~11 lbs lighter than many of the OEM wheels found on the various chassis it was designed for. That’s a nearly unheard of weight-savings in the wheel industry, and it means that running a set of VS-5RX wheels can shave ~45 lbs of unsprung rotational mass from your SUV or EV, vastly improving your acceleration, braking, handling, and even fuel/charge economy. Features like the deep side-milling on the spokes and the CNC pocketing incorporated between the wheel’s spokes help reduce mass where it isn’t absolutely necessary.

Function-First Design

Many companies making wheels for SUVs don’t create designs tailored to cope with the requirements of these demanding chassis. Instead, they often market wheels with a lower load rating by adding a lot of excess material in the wrong places to make the wheel stronger. The compromise is that extra material trades strength for a major increase in wheel weight, and makes for a wheel that doesn’t just hinder performance, but can be unsafe for the loads SUVs and EVs generate.

To make the VS-5RX as strong as possible but in a performance-focused and safe way, the inner and outer lips of the wheel were uprated from our already impressive Sprint Line lips to the ultra-heavy duty designs from our Enduro Line to improve durability. These lips are the most vulnerable part of any wheel – particularly the inner lip as it lacks the support of the spokes. The lip designs incorporated on the VS-5RX dramatically increase the strength and stiffness of the wheel, but are engineered to use the extra material required for that strength gain in a way that avoids increasing the wheel’s overall weight.

As part of our Touring Line, these wheels have some design features that we consider “quality-of-life” features and are important for street cars. Given the chassis the VS-5RX is built for, adding centercap support was a logical choice and a feature that was demanded consistently by customers during our initial design surveys. The cap supports are also designed to accommodate OE caps for our customers that want a high performance wheel upgrade, but prefer a clean, OEM+ aesthetic.

Like all Apex Wheel fitments, the spokes of the VS-5RX are virtually shrink-wrapped around critical brake packages. We do this by incorporating data we gather from laser scanning a large number of volunteer vehicles into the wheel’s design. An additional benefit of this vehicle-specific process is that applications like G01 X3, a platform that rarely uses aftermarket brakes, can be designed specifically around the OE brakes, which enables us to maximize the wheel’s concavity and reduce weight compared to a wheel that must clear large aftermarket brakes.

VS-5RX Application List

This first round of wheel fitments includes 20” and 21” fitments for BMW, 21” fitments for Porsche, and 19”, 20”, and 21” fitments for the Tesla market. For a comprehensive list of available fitments broken down by bolt pattern, see our VS-5RX wheel configurator. We’re also working on developing several other fitments for new chassis that we’ve never supported.

Future Fitments in Development

If your SUV or EV isn’t on this list and you’d like to see Apex wheel fitments for it in the future, please email expert@apexwheels.com. We’ll be tracking all requests and be sure to factor your feedback into future product expansion.

Beyond the features of the wheel itself, the support and resources offered for these new wheels are a huge part of why customers love Apex. Our famous wheel replacement program and warranties protect you post-purchase. Prior to ordering these wheels, take a look at our Wheel and Tire Fitment Guides which have been updated to include these new chassis. These guides have been built to address key concerns when it comes to SUV and EV-specific problems, including all-wheel drive compatibility and other nuances. If you have additional questions about these products or your specific car, feel free to email our Fitment Experts at experts@apexwheels.com.

Tom M.

Tom is a BMW Fitment Expert at APEX Wheels. Prior to joining the company in 2019, he worked for BMW of North America as Fleet Manager: Portland (OR) for the ReachNow car-sharing program, and as Warranty Administrator/Loaner Fleet Manager at BMW Portland. In addition, Tom has extensive training in BMW TSBs (Technical Service Bulletins) as well as in-depth knowledge of all BMW chassis and their wheel fitment options, with and without aftermarket brake and suspension upgrades. His high-performance driving experience includes autocross events in southern Oregon and track days at PIR in his 2004 E46 330i with 17x9 ET42 APEX ARC-8 wheels. Vehicles he owned prior to indulging his passion for BMWs include a 1989 Jaguar XJ6 and a 2006 S197 Ford Mustang. Fun Fact: Tom is a huge Formula 1 fan. Have questions about wheels for your BMW? Use our contact form and ask for Tom.