If you live in or near a major city in the United States, you've probably suffered through your fair share of pothole-laden roads. An 'Outback' or 'Allroad' makes more sense today, rather than a sedan. Maybe you want an SUV for the ride height and ground clearance, but you also want a sporty feel, so you go for the AMG or M-branded version with the big wheels and deep air dam.
However, in a city full of potholes, big expensive wheels made of exotic materials are a huge risk. These wheels are a $22,000 option, and I'd bet my entire R&T salary that the replacement cost of a single wheel is nearly the cost of the entire package, should you bend or crack one. A friend of mine cracked a magnesium Porsche wheel this past year, and the replacement cost was more than the entire option on the car.
The Aston Martin DBX S, with its 717-horsepower racy version, is a solid ride lined up for the storms, but it's equipped with optional 23-inch magnesium wheels, saving 42 pounds of unsprung weight. However, this comes at a significant cost, and I'm not sure if it's worth it. The DBX S is a riot in the twisties, but when faced with a washed-out section of road, big expensive wheels made of exotic materials are a huge risk.
These systems kept me from avoiding potholes multiple times, and imagine the volume at which I screamed inside this beautifully swathed, Connolly leather cabin, upon learning that my trained eye and heads-up proactivity to avoid an enormous pothole was met with resistance from the goddamn car I was trying to protect, followed by an incredibly loud, spine-crushing bang of big magnesium and little rubber meeting sharp asphalt. The SUVs have become sports cars and now suffer the problems of sports cars. Well, what of those sports cars?
They have rounded the moon and are circling back to becoming SUVs. Two of my favorite sports cars of the last 5 years are the 911 Dakar and Lamborghini Sterrato —the latter of which I voted to be Performance Car of the Year in 2024. In fact, I think they hold the solution.
By loosening the grip, you get to explore the limits at lower, safer speeds, with more predictable results— like driving in an Eighties action movie. Body roll, actually, is good when properly damped. And from the lowly beater bugeye 'rex, to the bonkers RUF Rodeo, you can, on two days of rally school and a prayer, send it.
, and decaying infrastructure is here to stay, but the desert will always be the place to play. There are, essentially, no laws out there. There's tons of room, great visibility, and a surface that won't damage your car if you go out and have some sideways fun.
While big expensive wheels made of exotic materials may provide a sporty feel, the risks associated with them far outweigh any benefits. In a city full of potholes, it's better to prioritize practicality over performance. By making all cars rally cars, we could create vehicles that are both fun to drive and safe on rough roads.
