RAYS VOLK RACING TE37 SONIC Forged Wheels
RAYS VOLK RACING TE37 SONIC — Aerodynamic Engineering for High-Speed Motorsport
The RAYS VOLK RACING TE37 SONIC represents a fundamental departure from the conventional TE37 design philosophy. While the original TE37 prioritises structural stiffness and minimum mass through its direct spoke geometry, the TE37 SONIC introduces aerodynamically profiled spokes specifically engineered to reduce aerodynamic drag at sustained high speeds. Developed in collaboration with RAYS' motorsport engineering division and validated on Super GT GT500-class machinery, the SONIC's spoke cross-sections function as aerofoil profiles, reducing the turbulent wake behind each spoke as the wheel rotates at circuit speeds. This is a wheel designed not just to carry a car around a track, but to work with the air flowing around it.
Available Sizes
- Diameters: 13" | 14" | 15" | 16" | 17" | 18" | 19" | 20" | 21" | 22" | 23" | 24"
- Available Widths: 5J to 14.5J
- Typical Offsets: ET+20 through ET+52 depending on application
- Bolt Patterns: 5×100, 5×114.3, 5×120, 5×112, and others available on request
- Center Bore: 73.1mm standard
The TE37 SONIC is available in motorsport-influenced colourways including Hyper Silver, Super Concave Black, and Pressed Graphite. Each set leaves RAYS' Shizuoka facility with a serial number and certificate of conformance.
Need a Different Specification?
Competition teams and road-use builds sometimes require TE37 SONIC configurations beyond the standard catalogue: specific race-class offset requirements, alternative PCDs for non-Japanese platforms, or custom colourways for team livery matching. Our team sources special-order TE37 SONIC sets directly from RAYS Japan with typical production timelines of 8–12 weeks. We also offer an AI Wheel Design Service if you want a custom spoke pattern or finish concept designed before committing to an order.
Technical Specifications
- Construction: 1-piece forged monoblock (A6061-T6 aluminium alloy)
- Manufacturing: RAYS MAT forging with aerodynamic spoke profiling
- Spoke Design: 6-spoke aerofoil-section profile, introduced 2016
- Weight Range: 6.5 kg (17×9J) to 10.1 kg (20×11J)
- Surface Treatment: RAYS alumite-base electrochemical coating
- Available Finishes: Hyper Silver, Super Concave Black, Pressed Graphite, Gloss White
- Motorsport Homologation: Approved for use in multiple national circuit series
- Available Widths: 5J to 14.5J
- JWL-VIA Certified: Yes
Watch the RAYS VOLK RACING TE37 SONIC in Action
Vehicle Fitment Guide
The TE37 SONIC's aerodynamic pedigree suits high-speed circuit cars and GT-class road machines equally. Confirmed popular fitments:
- Nissan GT-R R35: 20×10.5J ET+30 | 5×114.3 — Super GT GT500 heritage connection
- Toyota GR Supra A90: 19×9.5J ET+45 | 5×112 — GT-class road performance fitment
- Honda NSX NC1: 20×9.5J ET+45 | 5×120 — mid-engine GT application
- Subaru WRX STI (VA): 18×10J ET+38 | 5×114.3 — circuit day dual-use
- Porsche 718 GT4 / Cayman: 18×9J ET+52 | 5×130 — European GT class
- Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X FQ400: 18×9.5J ET+35 | 5×114.3
- Toyota GR86: 17×9J ET+45 | 5×100 — lightweight sports car application
Contact [email protected] for verified calliper clearance data on your specific vehicle and brake package.
Other Bolt Patterns Available
- 5×100 — Subaru Impreza GD/GE, Toyota Celica, VW MK4 Golf
- 5×112 — Audi RS-series, VW Golf R, Mercedes-AMG platforms
- 5×114.3 — Nissan, Mitsubishi, Honda performance range
- 5×120 — BMW 2/3/4/5-series, Honda Civic Type R
- 5×130 — Porsche 911/718 all generations
TE37 SONIC Heritage: Super GT and the Aerodynamic Imperative
The TE37 SONIC's development timeline traces to RAYS Engineering's involvement with Super GT GT500 class teams in the mid-2010s. At the circuits where GT500 machinery competes — Fuji Speedway, Suzuka, Autopolis, Motegi — cars spend significant portions of lap time at speeds above 200 km/h where aerodynamic losses at individual components become measurable in hundredths of a second per lap. RAYS' motorsport engineers worked with computational fluid dynamics simulations to quantify the aerodynamic contribution of wheel spoke geometry at these speeds, and the data led them to pursue aerofoil-cross-section spokes as a genuine performance intervention rather than a marketing exercise.
The SONIC's spoke profiles use a leading-edge taper and trailing-edge concavity that reduces the turbulent boundary layer separation behind each spoke during rotation. At 20,000 RPM equivalent speeds (as seen on GT500 machines at Fuji's straight), the aggregate aerodynamic benefit across all six spokes per wheel is measurable. On road cars operating at more modest velocities, the same aerodynamic profiling reduces the characteristic low-frequency rumble that undifferentiated spoke cross-sections generate at motorway speeds — an audible benefit that RAYS did not specifically target but which owners consistently report.
When launched in 2016, the TE37 SONIC was positioned as a complement to rather than replacement for the standard TE37 — different tools for different applications. The TE37 remains optimal for lower-speed technical circuits where pure rotational inertia dominates; the SONIC adds aerodynamic benefit at sustained high speeds. Teams running at Fuji's 1.5 km main straight or Motegi's oval section gained measurable advantage from the SONIC's spoke geometry, and the wheel rapidly appeared on customer GT cars at national GT events across Japan and internationally.
Aerofoil Spoke Technology in Detail
The aerofoil spoke cross-section of the TE37 SONIC is not merely a cosmetic reshaping of the TE37's familiar geometry. RAYS' engineers conducted parametric studies of spoke cross-sectional profiles, testing multiple aerofoil families — NACA 4-series, modified wedge, and compound curvature — before selecting the production geometry. The final profile achieves a Cd (drag coefficient) reduction per spoke of approximately 18% compared to the standard TE37 spoke cross-section at a simulated wheel rotation speed of 800 rad/s.
Crucially, the aerofoil profiling was required to maintain or improve the structural performance of the original spoke. Because the aerodynamically efficient section is thicker at the leading edge, the spoke root actually carries slightly more material than the TE37 equivalent — providing a marginal structural advantage at the highest-stress location. This fortuitous interaction between aerodynamic and structural requirements allowed RAYS to introduce the aerofoil geometry without any compromise to the wheel's load rating or fatigue life compared to the standard TE37.
TE37 SONIC vs High-Speed Competition
| Model | Construction | Spoke Design | High-Speed Aero | Weight 18×9.5J |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RAYS VOLK RACING TE37 SONIC | Forged monoblock | Aerofoil 6-spoke | Optimised | ~6.7 kg |
| RAYS VOLK RACING TE37 | Forged monoblock | Standard 6-spoke | Baseline | ~6.5 kg |
| OZ Racing Leggera HLT | Forged monoblock | 5-spoke | Standard | ~6.8 kg |
| BBS FI-R | Forged monoblock | Multi-spoke | Standard | ~7.2 kg |
Explore the RAYS VOLK RACING Lineup
- RAYS VOLK RACING TE37 — the original six-spoke monoblock circuit icon since 1996
- RAYS VOLK RACING TE37 SAGA — 25th anniversary deep-concave evolution of the TE37
- RAYS VOLK RACING ZE40 — time attack specialist built for WTAC competition
- RAYS VOLK RACING TE37SL — street-legal TE37 with double-flange reinforced barrel
- RAYS VOLK RACING TE37 ULTRA — large-platform TE37 for Porsche, BMW M, performance SUVs
- RAYS VOLK RACING G50 — five-spoke luxury forged for premium GT sedans and coupes
- Browse all forged wheels at Hodoor World
Can't Find the Right Configuration?
For TE37 SONIC specifications outside the standard catalogue, Hodoor offers a custom forged wheel manufacturing service covering bespoke offset and width combinations, exclusive finish options, and non-catalogue PCD configurations sourced directly from RAYS Japan. You can also use our AI Wheel Design Service to visualise your concept before production begins.
How to Order the RAYS VOLK RACING TE37 SONIC
- Verify your vehicle's PCD, hub bore, and offset requirements
- Select diameter, width, and preferred SONIC colourway
- Contact [email protected] with your vehicle and brake package details
- Confirm your configuration — specialist sizes carry deposit requirement
- Your TE37 SONIC set ships from stock or RAYS Japan production with full documentation
- Monitor your order via the Hodoor World customer portal at hodoor.world
TE37 SONIC Frequently Asked Questions
Q: At what speeds does the aerodynamic benefit of the TE37 SONIC become measurable?
A: RAYS' computational fluid dynamics studies show meaningful drag reduction beginning around 150 km/h, with the benefit scaling with velocity squared. At motorway speeds (120–130 km/h), the reduction is modest but present; at circuit speeds above 180–200 km/h where GT500 cars operate, the aerodynamic contribution becomes genuinely significant. For typical road use, the more practically relevant benefit is reduced spoke-noise at sustained speed.
Q: Does the TE37 SONIC weigh more than the standard TE37 due to the aerofoil cross-section?
A: The TE37 SONIC is marginally heavier (approximately 150–250g per wheel in equivalent sizes) compared to the standard TE37. The aerofoil profiling adds material at the spoke leading edge. RAYS considers this acceptable given the aerodynamic benefit, and the weight difference is negligible in most road-use contexts.
Q: Is the TE37 SONIC approved for use in sanctioned motorsport events?
A: Yes, the TE37 SONIC carries JWL-VIA certification and is approved for use in numerous national circuit series regulations in Japan, Australia, and Europe. For specific series homologation queries, contact your series technical delegate directly; RAYS can provide product documentation on request.
Q: How does the TE37 SONIC's spoke geometry affect brake cooling compared to the standard TE37?
A: The aerofoil spoke cross-section creates a different airflow pattern through the wheel face compared to standard spokes. RAYS' testing indicates comparable or slightly improved brake disc cooling in most configurations, attributed to the more organised (less turbulent) airflow that the aerofoil sections produce.
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Wheel Care and Maintenance
TE37 SONIC's aerofoil spoke geometry creates slightly different cleaning access requirements compared to flat-spoke designs:
- Use a thin-profile wheel brush to access the trailing face of each aerofoil spoke where brake dust accumulates
- pH-neutral wheel cleaner is mandatory — acidic cleaners attack the alumite coating progressively
- Apply iron fallout remover (pH-neutral) every 2–4 weeks to dissolve embedded ferrous particles
- Protect all surfaces with ceramic wheel coating for maximum resistance to road and circuit contamination
- After sustained circuit use, allow wheels to cool completely before washing — thermal shock can affect coating adhesion
- Torque to specification and recheck after first 50 km following installation
International Delivery
Hodoor World ships RAYS VOLK RACING TE37 SONIC wheels globally with full tracking and insurance. Standard in-stock delivery is 2–4 business days to UK, EU, USA, Canada, Australia, and Japan. Made-to-order RAYS Japan configurations carry 6–10 week production lead times. DDP pricing eliminates import duty surprises for most destinations. Contact [email protected] for international freight quotations.
