2020 Toyota Supra: To Go Custom 20-Inch BBS Or Not, That Is The Question...
Function or Fitment? Our A90 GR Supra project car tries on a set of rebuilt 20-inch BBS LM wheels from AR Motorwerkz.
Sam DuWriter
I revealed the final look of my 2020 Toyota Supra at Bowls LA ahead of the 2019 SEMA Show. Fitted with the first-ever EVS Tuning carbon fiber body kit, Voltex rear wing, Brembo brakes, KW coilovers and BBS LM wheels, it couldn't have come out any better (okay, maybe I'm a little bias).
Anyway, it's been six months and let's just say I haven't done a whole lot to the car except install an Eventuri carbon fiber intake and RS-R electronic damper control canceller (you'll read my review soon, I promise). Honestly, my plan was to bring the Supra as-is to events all spring and summer, but since car shows and meets were cancelled or postponed, my hopes and dreams of campaigning the A90 fell by the wayside.
Itching to do something different, over the last couple of months I've been throwing out ideas of swapping the current wheels to give it a fresh look. To my surprise, I received a phone call from AR Motorwerkz in Pasadena last week to help them test fit a set of BBS LM wheels they'd just finished for a customer. Sure, why not...
Now you're probably thinking, "aren't you already on BBS LMs?" and the answer is "yes, I am". Truth be told, it's my favorite wheel of all-time as they're sitting on my VW GTI project car as well as the Scion Tuner Challenge FR-S I built back in 2015. My current LM setup retains the stock Supra wheel sizing—19x9-inch front and 19x10-inch rear. The centers have been powdercoated gold but overall, the fitment is pretty conservative if I have to be honest, with some noticeable wheel gap between the fenders.
If you haven't heard of AR Motorwerkz before, they've been around for four years servicing mostly European and exotic cars. Lately they've become quite well-known for building out custom BBS wheels. They have a thing for LMs, like me, so when this particular set, spec'd specifically for the Mk5 Supra were ready, it was time to try on a new pair of shoes...
The 20-inch three-piece wheels measure 10-in. wide in the front and 11-in. wide out back—an inch larger in diameter and width compared to my current rollers. The finish has been redone with hand brushed clear centers and high polished lips for a shine you simply can't get from BBS directly. These wheels are similar to the LMs built for Marc Tcham's twin-turbo Super Trofeo widebody Lamborghini Huracan that we put on the cover of Super Street last year.
The verdict? These wheels look pretty damn good and I was drooling for a good 20 minutes; however, I'm not sold on 'em yet. For the track, I'm running a set of 18x10.5" Titan 7 TS-5 wheels and frankly speaking, I've always felt nineteens are the way to go when it comes to the street. The twenties look a bit too "showy" for me, especially with a slightly stretched tire. This setup would also require a bit of finessing and additional lowering for it to look right. Don't get me wrong, I still think these wheels look hard as hell, but it takes away from the car's functional appeal, which is why I fell in love with the Supra in the first place. Back to the drawing board...
In case you missed thefinal featureof my Supra project car from last year.
2021 Toyota Suprarevealed with new changes and a four-cylinder option.
