Chrome Wheels Making a Comeback?
One-On-One with Marc Pugh of Ultra Wheel
Ask most industry professionals if chrome wheels are making a comeback and be prepared for the eyebrows to raise suspiciously, a grin to surface and a hint of laughter in response. However the data might indicate otherwise.
Black-painted wheels entered the aftermarket scene about 15 years ago. Initially they were considered taboo in comparison to the preferred Chrome King. In reality, that reaction isn’t unlike the cloud of uncertainty associated with many other aftermarket trends. Examples: LED is just a fad; the Jeep® segment can’t maintain its momentum long term; and the modern muscle phase will fail in comparison to its classic lineage. These all turned out to be false and yet we still pondered, “How could anyone willingly black-out their wheels?”
“For the first time, the retail wheel customer had another choice for his/her car or truck that was new and different than most of the other wheels on the road. The modern stealth-look alternative to chrome wheels soon became more than a fad and within five short years black-painted wheels were more popular than chrome. Black overtook bling,” said Marc Pugh, Marketing Manager at Ultra Wheel. “Flash forward to today and now we have a predominately black painted wheel market, which includes gray finishes and bronze/dark tinted clear coat, etc. Chrome wheels are now the minority,” he continued.
No Slowing Down for Chrome Wheels
Such blasphemy turned into millions of aftermarket business with zero signs of slowing down. Premium OEM packages like the 2016 RAM Rebel 1500 Mopar Limited Edition feature satin black 17” wheels right off the lot. Black is the new norm, but there’s a retro resurgence. Yeah, you heard that correctly—chrome as a retro option. “New trends are turning back the clock and demand for chrome wheels is on the rise. The classic or retro look is coming back and chrome is one of those options,” said Pugh.
The aftermarket thrives on a need to individualize; it’s understandable for “customers to want something that everyone else doesn’t have, so chrome is the new alternative to black-painted wheels,” said Pugh. We bet you didn’t see that one coming, huh?
