stout

I’ve wanted to organize and share this info for a while now, and hope it will prove helpful for others. Everything save the offset info should carry over to other 991s; some aspects will carry over to other Porsches more broadly.

Objectives:

1. Share info on lightweight wheels for narrow-body 991.2 Carrera/S/T, a tricky fitment
2. Weigh Apex VS-5RS forged alloy wheels vs OE Carrera S cast alloy wheels
3. Evaluate powder-coating wheels for custom finish/color
4. Share driving impressions: Are any benefits really noticeable? (I was skeptical going in)
5. Share the kind of fitment photos I couldn’t find, with many angles rather than 1-3

There is a long thread on Apex wheels for the 991 with great pics and great info here, but I'm separating this more granular thread for ease of finding it.

stout

This journey began in 2018, after taking delivery of a 991.2 Carrera and ordering aftermarket forged alloys. When they showed up, the rear wheels moved the tires too far out in the fenders. As it turned out, some big names in the aftermarket hadn’t yet caught the offset changes for the 991.2 Carrera, Carrera S, and Carrera T, which prompted this thread to warn other that 991.1 wheels ≠ 991.2 wheels.

I decided to stay with the stock 20-inch wheels until an interesting option came along. One that eventually caught my eye was from Apex, which A) got the offsets right, B) had styling I liked, and C) seemed to have the respect of the BMW track-day community. But my first call to Apex wasn’t because I wanted new wheels. I needed them.

On a trip from SF > Pikes Peak and back, I was just 37 miles from home when I heard something kick up in a rear wheel arch and saw the dash go nuts with warnings. I dove off I-80 in Vallejo to find something had killed a tire.

The good news? I was just 37 miles from home after two long days in barren landscapes—often without cell reception.



The bad news? It wasn’t just the tire. The bolt went through the wheel too.

Apex was fresh out of my fitment. One OE 20-inch wheel, meanwhile, was $2200+, for a cast wheel. That only made Apex wheels look like even better value at $3800~ for a set. I looked into buying a factory wheel/tire set, as I’ve had good luck with OE wheel/tire sets and view them as strong value. But my wheel set was already NLA. When I found a pair of new OE rear wheels for $2200 (bonus, no more rear spoke rash + a spare rear), I grit my teeth and pulled the trigger. The car was out of commission a week or two, but at least it was back on the road.

Note to self: For a daily car that didn’t come with a spare, it isn’t a bad idea to have spare wheels & tires in the garage, ready to go. And, ideally, a front as it can be used at all four corners. Or, even more ideally, a complete set…

stout

When the VS-5RS was again available, I decided to try a set. Knowing I’d likely paint them anyway (because I’m weird and picky about wheels like that), I went with Motorsport Gold for the fun of trying gold wheels on Brewster Green. They were also less expensive than Brushed Clear.

I was impressed with the obvious care and concern with the boxing, and with how light the wheels were. As was my longtime tire guy. He’s seen a lot of wheels, and doesn’t compliment many. He complimented these instantly. On the scales, it turns out that they’re significantly lighter than the OE cast wheels—and Apex’s chosen offsets allowed for the removal of the factory 5mm spacers with attendant long lug bolts, which works out to 0.5~ to 1~ pound a corner IIRC. Will look for pics of those on the scales if I have them.






Notice knurled ring to keep tire clocked correctly under hard braking—and yes, I have seen tires rotate on wheels on track.



Factory front 20x8.5 Carrera S wheel; note TPMS sensor in place as tire shop didn't have time to futz with these


Apex VS-5RS 20x9 front wheel in Motorsport Gold


Apex VS-5RS 20x9 front wheel after powder-coating


Factory rear 20x11.5 Carrera S wheel; note TPMS sensor in place as tire shop didn't have time to futz with these


Apex VS-5RS 20x11.5 rear wheel in Motorsport Gold


Apex VS-5RS 20x11.5 rear wheel after powder-coating


Apex center caps


Decided to play with color-matching the Apex center caps—and why wouldn't you weigh it?


Or the factory caps, for that matter?


In case you're wondering about those TPMS sensors…

stout

Could I really feel 2-4 pounds saved in each wheel?
I have to admit I was skeptical. I'd read posts here on Rennlist with interest, including by some Rennlisters I have a lot of respect for, but a conversation years ago with Walter Röhrl had always stuck with me—in which I asked if he could tell the difference between a 996 Turbo with and without PCCB from behind the wheel. He thought about it, then shook his head. (In fairness, that was a long time ago (2001~), and I might’ve been referring to steering.)

As background, I'm no pro racer, but I have a fair bit of training and have tested hundreds of Porsches on road and track over the last 25 years looking for qualitative differences in the course of my work. While I’ve had many occasions to experience various options back-to-back (wheel sizes, suspension choices, etc), a significant reduction in unsprung/rotating mass in perfect conditions (same car, same road or track, etc) wasn’t one of them. Here, it would not only be the same car and one I know well, but even the same tires as my Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires had enough tread front and rear to move over to the Apex wheels.

I was surprised (shocked?) by my initial findings, to the point that I texted a vehicle dynamics engineer I respect to check myself. Without telling him what I’d felt, I asked if he’d be able to feel a difference in, say, 1-2 kg per front wheel and, say, 2-3 kg per rear…and if so, what would he feel? His answer came quickly, and was YES in all caps, followed by everything begins to work better, dampers especially.

This was definitely the case in my Carrera. With the very same Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires running the same pressures, the Apex wheels significantly improved a rebound issue I’d had in my Carrera since lowering it on TechArt springs. It wasn’t gone, but a minor annoyance was probably 60-70% better. So the wheels made a real, palpable difference.

Does the car feel faster and more free-wheeling?
I have to be honest and say…maybe? I think it does, but I am less certain about that compared to the obvious gains in ride quality and the way the suspension works on challenging back roads. Color me a believer in the value of lightweight wheels, and perhaps even more for a street car (which deals with many more bumps than a track car). I have since tried all-season tires, which improved compliance and rebound damping a bit more still…but that’s another story and another set of tradeoffs that have nothing to do with the wheels.

stout

Go easy on me re: photo quality , as the following iPhone pics were taken not long after mounting the Apex wheels. This was more about documentary info than glamor, so the car isn’t super clean (it’s a driver) and the wheels are different side to side…as I already knew Motorsport Gold wasn’t quite right on Brewster Green (for me). I just like silver wheels, so experimentation with wheel finishes began immediately.

The silver from my old 981 GT4’s wheels was a first experiment with powder-coating, and I was impressed with the finish achieved. You’d never know it isn’t a factory finish, and yet it comes off as a tad nicer. Hard to explain. It also seems more resistant to rock chips, etc than the paint used on OE wheels (though certainly not impervious). For the fellow freaks out there, you can check the weight of Apex wheels in their original finish and after powder-coating above.

Hopefully, the pics that follow will help others with something I always had a hard time finding: A really good indicator of how a given aftermarket wheel fits.

In Motorsport Gold on N-spec Michelin Pilot Sport 4S

stout

In powder-coat bright silver, as above with N-spec Michelin Pilot Sport 4S and no wheel spacers

stout

10,000+ miles later, I remain impressed with these wheels—it anything, I have become more impressed with the technical benefits of these wheels.

I can see where some feel their styling isn't different enough to OE wheels, but to me that's a bonus. I also like the greater sense of depth at the rear wheels on the 991.2 narrow-body, which is something few if any of the factory wheel choices managed to achieve. I ordered the Carrera S 20s as they were the least expensive wheel upgrade that would fit over PCCB brakes, knowing I would change the wheels at some point (once a hot-rodder, always a hot-rodder).

If I am picking nits, and a hot-rodder is gonna, I wish there weren't as many "hits" on the wheels between the center cap and then three engravings on the wheel itself for Apex > VS5-RS > FORGED. (I think Apex has changed or is changing some of its branding up, so maybe this is addressed already?) But I ordered a second set, this time in Brushed Clear, which tells you where I'm at: I can't see going back to cast wheels after experiencing the technical benefits of lighter wheels firsthand…and I want to have a spare set on hand with one front always ready to go on road trips.

Pb Pedis

Great insights! I felt a big difference in ride AND straight line acceleration with the FI-R (love motorsports Gold)

BBS FI-R
20x9.0 et52 17.4 lbs
20x12 et44 19.8 lbs

And I keep my complete OEM set with tires sitting in my garage just in case.

vanlieremead

I’ve thought an outgoing to a brighter wheel andI think it would look sharp. Maybe keep two sets to fit whatever mood I am in that particular season. But I just don’t want to loose the Porsche center cap.

F1SML8R

These wheels are by far the best "off the shelf" 991.2 narrow body after market wheel out there. They check all the boxes, light weight, classic design, solid value, but most importantly, correct fitment for the narrow body. BTW, I like that someone else posted their BBS FI R wheels. It's shocking to me that they just ignored the 991.2 fitment. It's even more shocking given they are an OEM provider I believe for Porsche. Apex runs away with the win on this one.

stout

^ Your black car would probably look great with light gold or bright silver wheels, and either would work with red calipers. One of the reasons I went away from Motorsport Gold with Brewster Green was the yellow PCCB calipers—3 standout colors were just one too many if that makes sense?

Agree on factory caps, which is one feature I always appreciate in aftermarket wheels. Caps are one of those details you're either afflicted with an eye for or you aren't. Fwiw, I've found the caps for the standard 991.2 Carrera S 20s (Brilliant Chrome, I think?) work well with the Brushed Silver wheels, being "close enough" 80-95% of the time thanks to the angle of the wheels around the cap.

I looked at these pics (from somewhere here on RL?) for a long time before ordering a second set in Brushed Clear. I like them on Brewster Green, but love them on A1 Black. Something about the dark green being an "old" or subdued color > liking silver wheels, where shiny black likes a little more bling with real metal? Not sure, but I dig it.

stout

^ Agree.

Intersection of weight, design, quality, and value is unbeatable. With that said: Man, another 3~ pounds lost per wheel with the FI-R would be quite a thing.

PTT27

Wheels look great! Thanks for posting.

The Ox

This is a great thread, thanks for all your info. , your car looks great.
I have a base 991.2 Coupe, the 20 inch offsets per Rennlist, are 49 front, 76 rear. Why is this different than the S and would these rims work on my car?

Tpup

Another vote for FI-R. Missed that this was narrow body only. Feel free to delete.