[ESOLO]

A lot of it is proportion. The Challenger is a big boy and needs a bigger wheel. 20" just seems to be the sweet spot. The 16s and 17s from back in the day were the correct proportion for the size of the Challenger at the time.

 

[GeneJockey]

A lot of it is proportion. The Challenger is a big boy and needs a bigger wheel. 20" just seems to be the sweet spot. The 16s and 17s from back in the day were the correct proportion for the size of the Challenger at the time.

Actually it was 14" and 15". 14s were standard. You got the 15s with engines bigger than the 318.

 

[Captain Awesome]

Ha, I remember thinking how oversized those 17" wheels were with the rubberband tires relative to the 14-15" on most cars when I started to see them show up. I agree with the OP that the 18" have the right look for modern muscle cars.

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[Jimbo]

I hate the 20" wheels and wish they offered an 18" wheel in every trim level.

I have no clue why they are shoving 20" wheels down our throats.

Is it the Brembo brakes? Don't Porsche 911's with 18" wheels still have Brembos? If they can do it, why not Dodge.

Is it for fuel economy? Are they shoving series 40 tires down our throats to get another half mile per gallon to meet CAFE standards?

I don't get this ridiculous trend toward nothing but 20" wheels. I can see offering optional wheels in 20" diameter, but they are shoving it down our throats and I don't get why except that it is a fad and the car designers are shoving this fad down our throats.

You can get stripe delete, spoiler delete and spare tire delete, but you can't opt down from 20" wheels to 18" wheels.

It is loathsome. :smiley18:

 

[19johned53]

I don't know, I have no problem with these 20's. To each his own I guess.

 

[Slidd]

Is it for fuel economy? Are they shoving series 40 tires down our throats to get another half mile per gallon to meet CAFE standards?

Can't be fuel economy as you would get better performance and economy with the 18's.

It's gotta be just looks and handling and they figure most will order the 20's anyway,

from the press release:

Updated suspension tuning

Sport-tuned suspension with 18-inch wheels now standard on all Challenger SXT models, while all Challenger R/T models now include larger 20-inch wheels with lower profile side walls and wider 245-series rubber for crisp handling.

 

[Robo]

The engineers said when designing the car 20" rims were used - the wheel openings are very large for that reason. Besides 20" tires provide shorter sidewalls and less slop movement between rim and ground when cornering hard. Thinner tires (short sidewalls) also provides less rolling mass in forged rim applications.

 

["Charlene"]

20s fit this car perfectly. It's a tank with big wheel wells.

 

[bwbike]

Aside from the 18" wheels on the entry-level SXT, all wheels are 20".

As far as looks, ride and tire replacement cost, I would much prefer 18". Why have 18"ers been all but eliminated? The only reason I can see is for oversized / Brembo brakes, but wouldn't more standard sized brakes be sufficient for the average driver? We typically had 16"-17" wheels in the 60s and 70s and brakes 40-50 years ago seemed to stop us adequately

I too wish that 18" were available on the 2015's. In fact, I woundn't mind 16" wheels. I don't really car for the short tire sidewall with the 20" wheels. I don't drive my car that aggressively that short sidewall tires would make a difference.

And yes as stated previously, back in the day it was 14 & 15 inch wheels.

 

[Cuda]

We typically had 16"-17" wheels in the 60s and 70s and brakes 40-50 years ago seemed to stop us adequately

Actually the first 16" wheels showed up in the early 80's I think, my first job was changing tires and oil at a Goodyear service center in 1984 and I remember seeing my first 16" wheel there on a police cruiser running Eagle tires and I remember thinking those were some HUGE tires!!! Most earlier cars had 13 to 15" wheels, my 74 Dart had 14's.
And the brakes would "usually" stop you once and in a somewhat straight line if you were lucky!!!! If you wanted to race any they would fade VERY quickly fade and you had nothing!!!

 

[FWB]

I personally think that the 20's are the perfect fit for the Challenger.

 

[15RT]

I personally think that the 20's are the perfect fit for the Challenger.

I can see a lot of people saying that. The proportions are right. But at the same time I don't think 18s look wrong. 18s should be an option for those of us who prefer the look and who don't want to shell out for 20" tires and/or need winter tires. 20" winter tires are real slim pickins

 

[raceheart77]

The problem with 18's is that you cant get wide tires (295's and up) with good sidewall to fill the wheel openings.

20's do a better job filling them out with lots of tire choices. I would get 18's if they had the right tire combos

 

[FWB]

I can see a lot of people saying that. The proportions are right. But at the same time I don't think 18s look wrong. 18s should be an option for those of us who prefer the look and who don't want to shell out for 20" tires and/or need winter tires. 20" winter tires are real slim pickins

Couldn't agree more on having them as an option:thumbsup: I would really love to drive a Challenger with the 18's to see the ride comfort compared to the 20's I have on my car. I'm sure they are worlds comfier than mine.

 

[Hal H]

Probably the take rate of 20" wheels on model lines from SXT + through R/T was higher.

Most dealer inventories I would see had 20" wheels (chrome clads) or the various SS/T, Blacktop, Redline, Sinister or Super Track Pack or R/T Classic packages all had mandatory 20" wheel sizes.

That left either the base SXT or a customer order (non-STP) of an R/T model with the 18" wheels.

As it will be for the '15 models, just the SXT base is the only trim level w/ 18" wheel, everything above that goes to 20" wheel.

 

[FlamesAreWicked]

id love to have a set of classic 20s....they are just so expensive.... my favorite wheels for that car