Front, 18", Profile 1, 5 Lugs, Anthracite- Rear, 18", Profile 1, 5 Lugs, Anthracite
VW MK7 Golf R Wheels
Lightweight forged & flow formed wheels for your 2015-2021 VW MK7 Golf R
Lightweight forged & flow formed APEX wheels for your 2015-2021 VW MK7 Golf R
5/5 Designs
Forged Sprint line
Forged Touring line
Flow Formed Evolution line
Finish: Anthracite
Overview
MK7 Golf R Wheel Performance
The MK7 Golf R’s main party piece is its Haldex AWD system, which helps maintain traction and put the power down at all four corners of the car. From the factory, the OEM MK7 Golf R wheels leave a bit to be desired from both an aesthetic and performance standpoint. While the stock square setup allows for a more neutral handling balance at the limit, the OEM wheel/tire sizes tend to find that limit a bit sooner than they should. If you want to fully take advantage of your MK7 R’s chassis and drivetrain, a set of Apex MK7 Golf R wheels in a wide and aggressive fitment will allow you to do just that. We created forged wheels such as the Apex VS-5RS, and flow formed wheels such as the SM-10 to increase overall performance. You can check out all of our offerings for MK7 Golf R wheels via our chassis specific MK7 Golf R Wheel & Tire Fitment Guide.
History of the MK7 Golf R
Prior to picking out your preferred set of MK7 Golf R wheels, let’s take a look at what makes the newest generation of VW’s flagship hot hatch such a solid performer both on the street and at the track.
The 7th generation Golf R was sold through the model years of 2015-2021 and has developed a strong reputation in the VW enthusiast community since its initial release. Offered only in a 5-door hatchback in North American markets, the MK7 Golf R packs a punch for being such a compact and practical vehicle. Utilizing a 2.0T pushing just shy of 300hp and 280 lb-ft of torque, the MK7 Golf R is able to get off the line incredibly quickly by sending all of that power through a Haldex AWD system. Throughout its lifecycle the MK7 Golf R was offered with three different transmission options, initially a 6-speed manual and 6-speed DSG, and following the MK7.5 refresh, a new 7-speed DSG option was introduced.
The MK7 Golf R offers a ton of practicality and performance in a compact and reasonably priced package. Taking into account the Haldex AWD and high-output, yet relatively fuel efficient E888 turbo 4-cylinder motor, it makes a lot of sense as to why these cars have been favored so much by “every day enthusiasts” over the years. The MK7 Golf R can really “do it all”, as it makes a fantastic daily-driver, a solid track car, and can handle inclement winter driving without skipping a beat. If you want to build upon everything that makes these cars such great performers, a set of MK7 Golf R wheels will be the best first mod you can do.
If you want to learn more about the in’s and out’s of the MK7 Golf R, Hotcars wrote up a great article highlighting all of their favorite attributes of VW’s 7th generation hot hatch. You can read their opinion piece: Hotcars: What We Love About The MK7 Golf R
VS-5RS Specifications
Reproductive Harm - www.p65warnings.ca.cov VS-5RS features
10K Tons of Pressure
Our new forgings weigh as much as 120 pounds before machining. To form such a thick blank we require special equipment capable of 10,000 metric tons of pressure. This extreme pressure increases the strength of the aluminum by eliminating porosity and improving the grain structure.
True Motorsport Blanks
Many companies use 3rd-party blanks intended for non-motorsport wheels which can severely limit sizes, concavity, spoke design, and critical brake clearance. We designed our very own blank profiles from scratch to give us total control over the final product.
Side-Milled Spokes
To be as light as possible the VS-5RS features extra-deep, side-milled spokes. Any excess material that doesn’t add strength is machined out using a precision CNC ball cutter. Side-milling is often deemed cost-prohibitive by others, but for true performance without compromise we believe it's essential.
A Stronger Lightweight Wheel
Our forged Sprint™ wheels are lightweight without the strength compromises found on typical lightweight wheels. First, we machined out as much material as possible, then we purposefully added one pound back to reinforce critical areas, creating a stronger inner lip and a higher load rating.² What’s the point of a lightweight wheel if it’s fragile?
Load Ratings (lbs)
JWL Load Standard
1521
Typical Forged Wheels
1521
Apex Flow Formed
1550
Apex Forged Sprint™ Line
1600
Weight Optimized
We conducted extensive Finite Element Analysis (FEA) to reinforce high-stress areas and to remove material where it didn’t improve strength. The result is a wheel that is exceptionally light without the strength compromises found on typical lightweight wheels.²
Wheel Weight
Load Rating
Apex Sprint™ Line
18 lbs
1600 lbs
Apex Flow Formed
21 lbs
1550 lbs
Independently Tested
We don't rely solely on computer simulations or unverifiable in-house testing. We believe independent testing is critical to protect consumers in this unregulated industry. We chose STL, an independent lab in Ohio, to test our Sprint™ wheels far above JWL standards, including increases in testing duration, impact drop height, and total load.
Tougher Inner Lip
Introducing the Sprint™ spec inner lip, with a unique channel profile that makes it even stronger than our previous designs. So even though our Sprint™ wheels are pounds lighter than comparable flow formed wheels, the inner lip is stronger.
32%
More reinforcement than our flow formed wheels3
Big Brake Clearance
From day one, Apex has been on a mission to build wheels that clear big brakes. Our new forged wheels are the product of everything we’ve developed over the past 10+ years, including an innovative high-clearance barrel design and vehicle-specific spoke profiles.
Deeper Concavity
Our new forgings were redesigned to create extra deep, concave spoke profiles. Their new shape allows us to make any profile, from flat to deep and everything in between. Each one is optimized for a specific application using 3D laser scans of factory and aftermarket brake kits.
Paintless Knurled Bead
Whether it's a day at the track or months of street driving, repeated hard braking and acceleration can make a tire slip along the bead seat and go out of balance, causing vibration. Knurled beads help, but are less effective when painted over. Our forged line features unpainted knurled beads that stay sharp and maximize grip.
Built for Impact Sockets
Track wheels need track tools. Don’t settle for wheels that require undersized tuner lugs or thin walled sockets. All Apex wheels accommodate over-sized race lugs and impact sockets to make swapping wheels lightning fast.
32mm
Socket Diameter Clearance
Laser-Engraved Specs
As track enthusiasts ourselves, we know how frustrating it is to try to locate and decipher wheel specs that have been hastily hammered into the rim or become unreadable over time. With our new Sprint™ wheels, we chose to invest a little extra and laser-engrave the specs on the barrel, in plain sight, making them easy to find and read. (You’re welcome.)
Additional features
Hub Centric
All VS-5RS wheels are purpose built for select vehicle applications. Very few applications require centering rings.
Center Caps
The majority of VS-5RS wheels come with a gloss black Apex cap which is interchangeable with most OE center caps*.
* Centerlock wheels do not include Apex center caps. Certain unique fitments support an Apex center cap that is not interchangeable with the OE cap. See your vehicle-specific product page for additional details.
Wheel Hardware
Wherever possible, Apex wheels are designed to be used with OEM mounting hardware* as well as high-quality wheel spacers, stud conversion kits, wheel locks, and more. See our Accessories pages.
*A small number of applications are not compatible with the vehicle's OEM hardware. Visit individual product pages to confirm hardware type/compatibility.
TPMS
All Apex wheels accept OEM and aftermarket Tire Pressure Monitoring Sensors and standard fit valve stems. If you don’t have sensors, then select from our metal stems available in multiple finishes.
Accessories
REAL DRIVERS NEED REAL PERFORMANCE.
Not all claims of performance are backed up by facts—and it's a big problem. Don't get sold fashion when you want function.
A Wheel You Can Depend On
Accidental Damage Replacement
Curb rash or pothole damage on the street? Make an oopsie at the track? We’ve all been there. Apex is proud to offer 50% off replacement wheels, no matter the damage.
Lifetime Warranty
All Apex wheels come with a lifetime structural warranty against defects in workmanship and materials, plus a 1 year finish warranty. Exchanges are fast, easy, and hassle-free.
Footnotes
¹ VS-5RS vs. the original EC-7R, comparing side milling of 18x9” ET46 5x130 fitment.
² Strength and weight comparisons are based on an 18” BMW 5x120 wheel.
³ Comparing the amount of material reinforcement in our standard inner lip profile vs Sprint™ spec inner lip profile on an 18” wheel.
⁴ All wheels compared with equivalent 18x10” ET25 5x120mm / 72.56mm fitment. Price displayed based on MSRP as of 5/16/2025.
Wheel Fitment. Launch Alerts. Real Info Only.