Where Are Rota Wheels Made?
Rota Wheels was first established in 1976 as a joint venture between Italian company FPS and Filipino entrepreneur Romero Rojas, who at the time was importing and exporting automotive gear and accessories like aftermarket wheels into the Philippines.
Initially, Rota focused on manufacturing steel wheels for the local market. However, recognizing the growing demand for alloy wheels globally, Rota shifted its production to alloy wheels in the late 1980s. Things changed quickly, and by the mid-1990s, Rota Wheels had gained huge popularity for its innovative designs, durability, and affordability. The company went on to expand its distribution network beyond the Philippines, reaching markets in Asia, Europe, North America, and other regions.
Over decades, Rota's reputation has continued to flourish and earned them a loyal customer base worldwide - If you're a car enthusiast, enjoy track days, or have any interest in modifying cars, chances are you've heard of them.
Cool Rota Wheel Designs
Rota offers a wide range of wheel designs that cater to different tastes and preferences. They offer a huge range of sizes, colours, and finishes, from their No.1 bestselling Rota Grid wheel to modern concave designs like the Rota Torque, and multi-spoke wheels like the Rota Force. Some of Rota's other popular wheel designs include the Rota Slipstream, and the Rota GTR, a classic deep-dish, five-spoke design - often used on high-performance sports cars.
The legendary Drift King himself, Keiichi Tsuchiya, has given his stamp of approval to Rota wheels. Yup, you heard that right. He's slapped Rota wheels on several of his drift cars over the years. And if anyone knows a thing or two about what makes a good set of wheels, it's gotta be him.
Lightweight Rota Wheels
Generally speaking, Rota wheels are produced by conventional gravity casting. However, more recently, certain wheel designs like the Rota Grid FF have benefited from the latest Flow Forged technology process which makes for stronger and lighter wheels while remaining affordable. Lightweight wheels can make a big difference in your car's performance. By reducing unsprung weight, your suspension can react faster to changes in the road, and by reducing rotational mass, your engine doesn't have to work as hard to turn the wheels, resulting in better acceleration and fuel economy.
Are Rota Wheels Safe?
Every wheel Rota manufactures undergoes rigorous testing to make sure they meet JWL and VIA standards, whereas true knockoffs like the multitude of clone wheels manufactured in countries like China are not and may genuinely be potentially unsafe to drive on. The JWL mark certifies that the wheel has been tested for radial fatigue, cornering fatigue, and impact resistance.
Are your Rota wheels going to suddenly fall apart, warp, or burst into flames while driving on the road? Probably not. Rota wheels are built to last. Could they get a little banged up if you slam into a big pothole at high speed? Yeah, maybe. But here's the thing: that can happen with just about any set of wheels out there. It's not like Rota has some secret weakness that makes them more prone to damage than other brands.
The bottom line is, that when it comes to durability and reliability, Rota wheels have years of knowledge and experience in the alloy wheels market. They've sold thousands of wheels worldwide to every conceivable type of customer out there and surely if they were that terrible they wouldn't still be bought in high volumes today. If you're after a huge selection of wheel designs that are built to last and can withstand daily punishment on the roads, Rota is certainly a brand worth considering.