An internationally renowned photographer, Mark has worked with TG for many, many years. When he’s not taking pictures, he’s buying inappropriate cars. Here he shares his addiction with the world…

The Japanese tuning era of the 90s brought us many brilliant things. Like the 1,000hp Nissan Skyline or the highly flammable, highly reflective bomber jacket. Essential wear for any tuning guru.

But even better than that was a wheel called Volk Racing TE37. A lightweight six-spoke design that, if you’ve ever played Gran Turismo or looking at old pictures of cars racing around Tsukuba, should already be familiar.

According to RAYS Engineering (which makes the TE37), this name was not the result of a cat stepping on a keyboard. Instead, a nod to its intended use and target weight. The TE bit stands for Touring Evolution, and the 37 (or rather 3.7kg) is the actual weight achieved by its entry-level 15×6-inch wheel design.

That was 25 years ago, and during that time there have been some strange variations. In fact, a quick look at the website shows no less than 32 different TE37 models to choose from.

What makes the TE37 so good? Other than that, they are machined from a single piece of aluminum using a cast forging process, which means the wheel shape and spokes are formed along the grain of the metal. . Simply put, it increases the strength of the wheel without the need for excess material and weight.

Then there are the spokes. Each of the six spokes is designed to not only dissipate heat from the brake caliper, but also to increase ventilation around it. So you not only reduce unsprung weight, but also assist the brakes at the same time.

The classic six-spoke finished in crackled bronze will always be the best in my eyes. It doesn’t matter what car they are mounted on; it still seems to work. Which is just as well because I ended up installing them on most of my cars, including the 360 ​​Challenge race car.

If I really wanted to annoy you, I could say that these TE37 Sagas are lighter than the OEM wheels and considerably stronger. It’s actually an absurdly cool wheel design and nothing says “I grew up unhealthily obsessed with Japanese car culture” than bolting TE37s to an Italian sports car.

In the case of the 360 ​​Modena Challenge, I kept the rears in line with the 18×10.5-inch OE size due to the old traction control system. For the facades, there is a little more space to play with. That means a jump from 18×8 inches to 18×9 inches with a slightly wider tire as well.

If there’s a downside with a good TE37, it’s the fact that they’ve become a bit of a collector’s item, which means it’s both difficult and expensive to track down good sets (used ). But on the other hand, it shows respect for these wheels 25 years after their launch.

As long as they are still in use and not scattered around, I see no problem with a global takeover of TE37. Now who can get me a set in BMW 750iL configuration?