First look at the Enkei Racing GTC02 wheel, new grip setup in progress...

Yes, there's something new under the cover!

I've spent more than 13 years on my S2000 and through that time, I've been running these wheels on the track:

Stock wheels from Day 1

Enkei RPF1 which I used for about 

Back in 2014, as I sought a stronger wheel for long term use, I made the switch from RPF1 to the Racing GTC01 which I still use until today

My current Racing GTC01

The Racing GTC01 has served me remarkably well and despite being heavier than the RPF1 by about 2-3 kg due to wider width plus more rigid construction, which could be felt through the steering, has taken all my track abuse without hardly anything to show for it. I've always prioritized wheel strength for the following reasons:

a) At Sepang Circuit, which is the track I frequent, there is sometimes a need to hop curbs to get the best line 

b) The peak G forces achieved by the tyres increase with development of tyre technology and thus the corresponding the load on the wheel increases so from a reliability standpoint a more robustly construction wheel would provide long term use

c) A more rigid wheel would possibly lessen the need for increases in camber angle to compensate for the deformation of the wheel. Any additional negative camber increases for such compensations are not ideal for tyre lifespan or the overall track performance.

With the help of YHI Singapore, I managed to source the latest iteration of the Racing GTC series: the Enkei Racing GTC02 in Hyper Silver. This wheel was seen at the 2020 Tokyo AutoSalon Enkei Booth and has been making its rounds in roadshows in Japan.

Official launch on Facebook in August 2019

Here is my video wheel reveal

Ken Nomura having fun at the Tokyo Auto Salon Booth

Promotional roadshow in Japan to highlight the wheel have been ongoing

Here is my own video reveal of the wheel

The key reasons for the choice of this wheel would be:

a) robust construction for strength and rigidity to a higher limit than the current wheel I run

You can see how beefy the spokes are and the evenly dispersed split spoke design helps ensure load is not concentrated at only a few points

The thick flange at the rim edge helps hold the tyre in place through high load events

b) Lightweight construction 

This wheel will be much wider than the current wheel I run but weighs about the same, around 10kg. This means there is no weight penalty to running this wider wheel which allows me to run a wider tyre size.

Here you can see a close up of the lightening done on the spokes

These dimples machined out of the block reduce weight and improve heat dissipation from the wheel to avoid additional heat being transferred to the hubs. Such heat buildup is often not considered but can lead to premature failures of hubs. The centre bore also looks to have a reduced amount of material in the lugnut area.

The back face of the wheel has also had some shaving of the spoke done with material removed from the centre hub 

c) Big brake kit clearance

The barrel of the wheel is generously formed and allows for clearance of large calipers should I wish to upgrade my brakes down the line

The curvature of the spoke and where it ends on the wheel face helps the brake caliper face fitment

d) Excellent quality and design which is what Enkei is known for

The greyish portion is where the edge of the tyre sits and Enkei has put anti-slip paint to prevent slip between tyre and wheel which happens more than many realise. Patented M.A.T process to form the Enkei wheels has also evolved to M.A.T Dura II for added strength.

This part is just pure Japanese craftmanship character, guess Mr Suzuki signed off that this wheel met his inspection standard!

e) Price point of the wheel 

The Enkei Racing GTC02 has a retail price 60% that of a similar sized forged wheel. Wheels are a consumable over the long run such as when an off the track event happens, you can't avoid that big pothole at speed and long term use will slowly but surely bring the wheel ever so slightly out of round. Any wheel and tyre shop owner who levels with you will tell you that even forged wheels do deteriorate over time. In view of that, the Racing GTC02 is excellent value for money.

I'm really looking forward to bring my grip setup to the next level with this new wheel and YHI Singapore was a great help to help order this wheel in. I'll be approaching them as well for tyre choice, as I'd like to pair this high performance wheel with a top tyre to prep for what looks to be an exciting evolution for my S2000. Stay tuned for the next update with fitment pics and tyre selection!

I would like to specially thank again YHI Singapore for helping me source this wheel in the specific fitment I was looking for.