Why Upgrade
Why Forged Wheels Are Essential for McLaren
McLaren builds around a carbon monocoque and obsesses over mass. A 720S weighs roughly 1,419 kg dry. When a car is that light, unsprung mass becomes a much larger share of what the suspension has to control, so heavy wheels blunt the chassis more than they would on a two-tonne GT.
| Benefit | What Changes |
|---|---|
| Lightweight Performance | Forged aluminium has a tighter, continuous grain structure than cast, allowing the same strength with less material. Less rotating mass means faster acceleration, shorter stopping distances and less work for the brakes. |
| Strength at Speed | A 720S can exceed 200 mph, putting enormous centrifugal and cornering loads through the wheel. Forged construction provides greater resistance to cracking where cast wheels can fail. |
| Precision Handling | McLaren's Proactive Chassis Control benefits from reduced unsprung mass. With less weight for the dampers to control, the result is sharper turn-in and more settled behaviour over broken surfaces. |
Options
Design Philosophy for McLaren Wheels
Good McLaren rims are a solved engineering problem before they are a styling exercise. Three constraints shape the design.
Aerodynamics
McLaren manages brake cooling and wheel-arch airflow deliberately. Spoke geometry either helps extract hot air from behind the brake or traps it. A design that ignores this looks fine and cooks your discs on track.
Weight optimisation
Material gets placed where the load path needs it and removed everywhere else. This is why serious forged wheels use 5-axis machining rather than a simple face cut, since the back of the spoke is where most of the savings live.
Visual restraint
McLaren's own design language is clean and functional. Wheels that shout tend to fight the car. The strongest McLaren builds use a considered spoke count, a deep dish that follows the arch line, and a finish that reads as intentional. Satin bronze, gunmetal, gloss black, and brushed titanium finishes all work well against McLaren's brighter paint options.
Fitment
McLaren Fitment Guide
All modern McLarens share a 5x112 bolt pattern with M14x1.5 lug bolts, not studs. That distinction matters during fitting, since the wheel must be supported while the bolts are started.
The centre bore is the trap. McLaren uses a 57.1mm bore. Audi and Mercedes also use 5x112 but at 66.6mm. Most off-the-shelf 5x112 wheels are machined for the German cars, which means they will bolt to a McLaren but sit lug-centric rather than hub-centric unless you add rings. On a supercar, that is not a compromise worth making. Custom forged solves it by machining the bore at 57.1mm from the start.
| Model | Bolt Pattern | Centre Bore | OEM Front | OEM Rear | Fasteners |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 720S / 720S Spider (2017–2023) | 5x112 | 57.1mm | 19x9, approx. ET41.65 | 20x11, approx. ET24.75 | M14x1.5 bolts |
| 570S / 570GT (2015–2021) | 5x112 | 57.1mm | 19x8, 225/35R19 | 20x10, 285/35R20 | M14x1.5 bolts |
| Artura (2022–present) | 5x112 | 57.1mm | 19", 235/35R19 | 20", 295/35R20 | M14x1.5 bolts |
Sizes
Staggered setups by intent, across the 19" to 21" range
| Setup | Front | Rear | Tyre Pairing |
|---|---|---|---|
| OEM+ (720S) | 19x9 ET32 | 20x11.5 ET24 | 245/35R19, 305/30R20 |
| Track-Focused (720S) | 19x9 | 20x11.5 | Match rolling diameter to stock |
| Flush Street (570S) | 19x9 | 20x11 | 235/35R19, 305/35R20 |
| Larger Diameter (570S) | 20x9 | 21x11.5 | 235/30R20, 305/30R21 |
Two rules that protect the car
Hold rolling diameter close to stock
McLaren traction and stability systems compare wheel speeds. A large front-to-rear diameter mismatch can trigger fault modes.
Verify brake clearance before machining
Carbon-ceramic calipers dictate minimum spoke clearance, and a millimetre of assumption is an expensive mistake at this level.
Models
Popular McLaren Models
| Model | Why Forged? |
|---|---|
| McLaren 720S | The most common forged wheel candidate. Factory wheels vary between cast and forged depending on specification. A well-engineered forged set can reduce mass at each corner while allowing a wider front track for improved balance. |
| McLaren 570S | Highly responsive to wheel changes. Owners commonly run 19/20 for added grip or 20/21 for a more aggressive stance. Load rating is especially important for track-focused use. |
| McLaren Artura | The hybrid V6 carries significant battery mass, making unsprung weight savings at the wheels especially valuable. Confirm factory widths and offsets against your build sheet before ordering. |
Not listed? We build for 750S, GT, Speedtail, and other McLaren models. Send your model and we confirm.
Pricing Guide
A custom forged set for a McLaren typically lands in the $5,000 to $15,000+ range. What drives the number:
| Factor | Effect |
|---|---|
| Diameter and Staggered Widths | 21" rear barrels need substantially more billet and machining time. |
| Construction | Monoblock vs multi-piece changes both material and assembly cost. |
| Material | 6061-T6 aluminium is standard; exotic materials cost significantly more. |
| Finish | Standard powder coat is base; custom colour, brushed, or two-tone finishes add cost. |
| Load Rating and Validation | Higher targets require more material and testing. |
| Bespoke Fitment Work | Custom offset and caliper clearance is engineering time, not catalogue picking. |
Anyone quoting a McLaren set at a few thousand dollars is selling you a catalogue wheel with a German bore and a hub ring. That is the actual price difference.
Our Process
THE ENGINEERING BEHIND RRT FORGED
Every wheel goes through a precision-engineered process from billet to finished product.
10,000 Ton Forging
Each wheel begins as a solid 6061-T6 aluminum billet, pressed under 10,000 tons of force. This aligns the grain structure to follow the wheel's load paths, creating maximum strength at minimum weight.
5-Axis CNC Precision
Every wheel is machined on 5-axis CNC to tolerances of ±0.5mm. The hub bore is cut to your exact vehicle specification — for McLaren, that means 57.1mm, not the generic 66.6mm.
Finite Element Analysis
Before any wheel reaches production, it undergoes FEA simulation to map stress concentrations and optimize spoke geometry. Material is removed where load doesn't travel, making the wheel lighter and stronger.
Inspection & Testing
Every wheel passes through dimensional inspection, surface quality checks, and load testing before dispatch. We maintain full traceability from billet to finished product.
6061-T6 Aircraft Grade
We use only 6061-T6 aluminum — the same alloy used in aircraft construction. No porosity, high fatigue resistance, and predictable strength under repeated load cycles.
Send Us Your Rquirements
Why Upgrade
Why Choose RRT Forged
Every wheel machined for one car
You supply model, year, target offset, and brake package. The wheel is engineered to that, including the 57.1mm McLaren bore, with no spacers and no hub rings.
Aerospace-grade 6061-T6 aluminium, monoblock forged
5-axis CNC machining with load-path optimisation and thin-wall techniques to cut mass without cutting load rating.
Big brake clearance handled at design stage
Not discovered at fitting. Global delivery across the US, UK, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, with fitment confirmed before anything is cut.
Global delivery
across the US, UK, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, with fitment confirmed before anything is cut.
Car Lifetime structural warranty
on the wheel structure.
FAQs
Are forged wheels worth it for a McLaren?
Yes, and more so than on a heavier car. McLaren builds around a carbon monocoque and low mass, so unsprung weight is a larger proportion of what the chassis manages. Forged wheels cut that weight while raising strength, which improves acceleration, braking, and how the suspension handles rough surfaces. On a car engineered this precisely, factory-adjacent cast wheels are the weakest link in the corner.
What size wheels fit a McLaren 720S?
The 720S uses a 5x112 bolt pattern with a 57.1mm centre bore and M14x1.5 lug bolts. Factory sizing is roughly 19x9 front and 20x11 rear. Common forged upgrades run 19x9 ET32 front with 20x11.5 ET24 rear on 245/35R19 and 305/30R20 tyres. Any wheel must be machined to 57.1mm rather than the 66.6mm bore used on Audi and Mercedes 5x112 wheels.
Are monoblock wheels better for supercars?
For most supercar applications, yes. Monoblock construction has no bolt line to fatigue or seal, gives the lowest weight for a given load rating, and is structurally simpler under high thermal and cornering loads. Multi-piece is the better choice when you need an unusual width or want the ability to replace a single barrel later.
Will generic 5x112 wheels fit my McLaren?
Mechanically they will bolt on, but most 5x112 wheels are machined with a 66.6mm bore for Audi and Mercedes. On a McLaren's 57.1mm hub, those wheels are not hub-centric without adapter rings. Custom forged machined at 57.1mm removes the issue entirely.
Build your set
A McLaren does not need a louder wheel. It needs a lighter, stronger, correctly machined one, engineered around your exact caliper package and offset rather than pulled off a shelf built for a different car. Sets are produced to order and no two are identical. Send your model, year, and brake specification, and RRT will confirm fitment before any billet is cut.