APEX | 2022 VW/Audi 17" SM-10 Winter Group Buy

[APEXWheels]

Our popular VW/Audi SM-10 Group Buy is officially back! This time, with a focus on Winter and off-season fitments. For those of you searching for the perfect inclement weather setup for your MQB VW or Audi, this Group Buy is for you! With a maximum discount of $300 off plus free shipping*, you won’t find a better deal on 17” Winter wheels anywhere else.

Click Here To Join Our VW/Audi SM-10 Winter Group Buy!

Learn More About The SM-10 Design

This deal is now live and locks on 10/18/2022 at 11:59 PM Pacific Time. The wheels are currently in stock and scheduled to ship immediately once the deal closes. Visit GangUp.com for more information.

To streamline pledging and fitment selection, we use GangUp to track interest and pledges. This system lets you commit at your preferred discount level and removes the old school headache of forum threads and email chains as a Group Buy heats up. Watch the video below to learn how GangUp works and how to pledge. These Group Buys depend on the VW/Audi enthusiast community to succeed. More pledges mean deeper discounts and more competition for popular fitments and finishes. Make sure you pledge early to get the best possible allocation for your preferred set of SM-10s.

Join The Gang And Pledge Today!

The Details
​

Introducing our very first MQB VW/Audi Winter-specific SM-10 Group Buy! When the team at APEX Wheels initially reached out to the VW/Audi community with the intention to offer a performance-focused wheel line for MQB-based VW and Audi models, the feature and functionality requests from engaged enthusiasts were overwhelming. We quickly learned there were numerous gaps in the current aftermarket offerings, and as a result, we made it our mission to engineer better wheel solutions for VW/Audi drivers on and off the race track.

Specifically, there was a demand for an aggressive, strong, and lightweight 17” performance-focused wheel line with the ability to clear many of the popular big brake kits that typically forced enthusiasts to use 18″ wheels. For weekend track warriors and daily-driven street cars alike, running unnecessarily large 18” wheels meant more weight, less tire sidewall, and higher tire running costs. Leveraging laser scanning and exhaustive on-car fitment testing sessions, our engineers optimized the barrel shape and spoke curvatures of the SM-10 design which allowed our 17x8.5” ET43 SM-10 wheel to clear large factory brakes, along with many other popular aftermarket BBKs, such as the Macan/Q5 340mm brake upgrade.

Specifically in the VW/Audi community, we have noticed that many enthusiasts tend to use their cars for a dual-duty purpose, as 4-Motion and Quattro AWD systems perform brilliantly both on the track and through inclement conditions during the off-season. However, to get the most performance from your car year-round, a dedicated set of wheels and tires for both Summer and Winter are required. While some folks will opt for a cheaper “steelie” or OEM wheels to wrap in Winter tires for the colder months, those with larger brakes or modified suspension may struggle to find off-season wheels that properly fit their cars without clearance concerns.

This is where our VW/Audi Winter-specific SM-10 Group Buy comes in. The 17x8.5” ET43 SM-10 not only provides the perfect fitment for use with Winter tires, but it also has plenty of inner barrel and spoke clearance, allowing it to fit over larger factory and aftermarket brakes with ease. On top of that, the SM-10 provides plenty of strength to handle the abuse of Winter driving with its reinforced inner lip and I-beam spokes. The smaller 17” diameter also allows for improved performance while driving through heavy snow conditions, with plenty of options and good availability for various Winter tires in our recommended sizes for this wheel. With a max Group Buy discount of $300 off plus free shipping on a set, this deal offers all of the off-season functionality you could want without breaking the bank.

Have Fitment Questions?
See our Official APEX MK7 Golf, GTI, and Golf R Fitment Guide

===> View Full Image Gallery <===

Available Sizes

17x8.5” ET43 - 19.6lbs

Visit our VW MK7 wheel & tire fitment guide to learn more.

Available Finishes
Satin Bronze, Anthracite, Satin Black, and Race Silver

About the Design

The SM-10 is part of our Evolution line, with features typically only found on higher-end forged wheels. For those who need a superior wheel, but don’t have the budget for forged.

- I-beam spokes for reduced weight
- Reinforced inner lip for strength
- Massive brake clearance
- Unmatched replacement program
- Lifetime structural warranty
- Independently tested and certified

About Us
Since 2007, APEX has produced lightweight wheels with extreme durability and unprecedented value for the performance driving community. Combining proven Motorsport design features, vehicle specific optimizations, and advanced flow-forming and forging technology, APEX engineers wheels that meet and exceed the diverse needs of weekend track warriors and competitive club racers.​

 

[The Dude]

Lol, do I dare?

 

[manu97]

Any chance you guys have a 17x9 SM-10 group buy planned?

 

[Brian Puccio]

This might get better traction in the Wheels/Tires forum as opposed to Exterior Parts.

 

[The Dude]

This might get better traction in the Wheels/Tires forum as opposed to Exterior Parts.

Thats just funny right there

 

[GTIfan99]

My winter tires in Florida need a 17 x 9 wheel. lol

 

[APEXWheels]

Any chance you guys have a 17x9 SM-10 group buy planned?

Not for the remainder of the year. We might offer a full VW/Audi SM-10 GB in Spring of 2023 that includes all four (17" and 18") fitments but that has yet to be confirmed at this time.

This might get better traction in the Wheels/Tires forum as opposed to Exterior Parts.

Thats just funny right there

For some reason Golf MK7 does not have a vendor "wheel/tire" section, hence why I posted here. It's weird since Golf MK6 has a vendor wheel/tire section, which we post in regularly. There is a classifieds Golf MK7 wheel/tire section but we are not allowed to post there as a vendor.

-Geirsen

 

[Brian Puccio]

My winter tires in Florida need a 17 x 9 wheel. lol

Your wheels need a life raft in Florida lol

 

[Brian Puccio]

For some reason Golf MK7 does not have a vendor "wheel/tire" section, hence why I posted here. It's weird since Golf MK6 has a vendor wheel/tire section, which we post in regularly. There is a classifieds Golf MK7 wheel/tire section but we are not allowed to post there as a vendor.

-Geirsen

Ah, gotcha. I added a note in the SM-10 running thread in the Wheels/Tires section to bump that back to the top.

Good luck with the sale.

 

[The Dude]

Not for the remainder of the year. We might offer a full VW/Audi SM-10 GB in Spring of 2023 that includes all four (17" and 18") fitments but that has yet to be confirmed at this time.





For some reason Golf MK7 does not have a vendor "wheel/tire" section, hence why I posted here. It's weird since Golf MK6 has a vendor wheel/tire section, which we post in regularly. There is a classifieds Golf MK7 wheel/tire section but we are not allowed to post there as a vendor.

-Geirsen

I just mean that I finally have the set I really want on order, and now you dangle snows as well?

 

[APEXWheels]

We are just a couple of days into this group buy, and we appreciate everyone who has pledged or expressed interest already! The deal is just getting started, and there’s lots of great information and Winter-specific content planned along the way. Stay tuned for our future technical updates, in which we will take a deep dive into a wide variety of off-season driving topics. These updates will include everything from detailed fitment guides with Winter-specific tire recommendations, to instructionals on how you can help protect your wheels when driving in harsh Winter conditions. You will not want to miss out!

In the meantime, enjoy a couple of MK7 wagons traversing the mountain ranges of Southwest Washington. Both cars are running 17x8.5” ET43 SM-10s in Satin Bronze with 235/45-17 Michelin Pilot AS4s.

Questions? Join us and your fellow enthusiasts on the discussion tab of this Group Buy for quick back and forth questions and answers from both APEX staff and the larger community.

If you have specific or private questions regarding your pledge or billing, feel free to message us directly through the “Message Vendor” feature on the GangUp page, or simply send us an email at groupbuys@apexraceparts.com.

-Geirsen

 

[HelloNewman]

I'm in. I'm a little indecisive on which finish looks best on a CSG mk7.

 

[Dr Dad]

Pledged! Been wanting these for a minute.
Went with anthracite as first choice and bronze as second. Wife isn't too keen on bronze wheels, but I love them.

 

[APEXWheels]

Everything You Need To Know About Choosing The Right Winter Wheel & Tire Setup

Choosing the right Winter wheel and tire setup for your car can be a bit daunting at times as there are quite a few important factors to consider. To help make this process a bit easier, today’s update will take a deep dive into everything you need to know to ensure you end up with the most ideal setup for your specific Winter driving needs.

Wheel Diameter:

While larger diameter wheels with lower profile tires may look great and perform well in the Summer months, they tend to be a terrible option for off-season conditions. With lower profile tires, your wheels are more susceptible to damage from road hazards such as potholes, which are significantly more common during the Winter months. Without a decent sized tire sidewall to cushion the impact, you have a higher chance of bending your wheels or damaging your suspension components. With smaller diameter wheels and larger sidewall tires, your car will be more protected from unpredictable and hazardous Winter road conditions.

Low-profile tires are also a poor choice for Winter driving from a performance and safety aspect as well. This is due to the fact that lower profile tires tend to skate on the surface of snow-covered roads, which makes for unpredictable handling characteristics, especially at speed. In comparison, a tire with a taller sidewall will tend to “cut” through the snow, giving you added traction and overall stability. The taller the sidewall, the more planted your car will feel in slippery conditions, especially in deeper snow covered roads.

Wheel Fitment:

In dry and warm conditions, a wider wheel and tire will offer more overall traction due to the increased contact patch with the road. However, in colder Winter conditions on snow covered roads this will have the opposite effect. The wider your wheels and tires are, the harder it will be for them to “cut” through the snow, as they will be more likely to skate across the surface. Much like with low profile sidewalls, this results in significantly reduced overall traction. For Winter driving, slimmer and less aggressive wheels and tires will be more ideal as they will penetrate through the surface of snow covered roads providing additional grip and stability.

Tire Compounds:

Choosing the right Winter tire compound is just as important as choosing the right warm weather tire compound. You wouldn’t want to run an R compound tire if you commute 60 miles a day, and you wouldn’t want to run an all-season tire if you were planning to attend an Autocross event. The same idea applies to Winter-specific tire selection, as certain types of Winter tires can offer better or worse performance depending on the driving conditions. Choosing the right Winter tire for your application will depend on where you live and what kind of conditions you expect to drive in. For example, if you live in a place that rarely gets cold enough for the roads to freeze over, you probably shouldn’t get studded snow tires.

Below is a list of the main categories of Winter tires, along with a brief description for what they excel at:

Studless Ice & Snow:

Studless Ice & Snow tires are the most popular Winter tire compound. These tires offer solid all-round performance in below freezing conditions and through deep snow. While they can manage small amounts of ice, they are not the most ideal if you regularly drive on frozen-over surfaces in extremely cold conditions.

Studdable Winter/Snow:

Studdable Winter/Snow tires are most ideal for driving on completely iced over surfaces or through deep snow. However, they perform incredibly poorly on dry or wet roads when snow is not present. Studded tires will significantly increase your braking distance on pavement, so it is best to only use them if you live in an area where the roads will be completely iced or snowed over throughout the Winter season.

Performance Winter/Snow:

Performance Winter/Snow tires sacrifice icy surface and deep snow traction for a bit more performance on dry or wet surfaces. These tires are perfect if you live in an area that doesn’t stay consistently cold enough to keep snow on the ground for long periods of time. Performance Winter/Snow tires excel in cold temperatures on roads with mixed dry and slushy conditions. In fact, they can even match or surpass the grip of high-performance all-season tires, making them a solid choice for those who still like to drive spiritedly, even in the dead of Winter.

Tire Sizes:

Taking everything mentioned above into consideration, this leads us to picking the right tire size to pair with your SM-10 Winter Wheels. This Group Buy specifically offers our 17x8.5” ET43 fitment, which is the most ideal size and offset for a majority of MQB VW and Audi applications. For the most optimum and balanced Winter performance, we recommend using one of the following 3 tire sizes:

225/45-17

• Factory recommended Winter Tire size for most MQB VW/Audi models.
• Most economical option with more availability from different manufacturers.

235/45-17 (APEX Staff Pick)

• Best balance of overall performance and sidewall height.
• Decent availability with quality options in all Winter tire compound types.

245/40-17

• Widest and best dry surface traction.
• Slightly shorter sidewall compared to the other options, making it less ideal for poor road conditions where potholes are more common.

Stay tuned for more Winter-specific technical updates in the near future!

-Happy pledging from the APEX team!

 

[APEXWheels]

The Best Winter Tire Options For Your New 17" SM-10 Wheels

To follow up with last week’s Winter wheel and tire technical update, we wanted to run through some of our favorite Winter tires currently available in the sizes we recommend for our 17x8.5” ET43 SM-10 wheels. As noted in the last update, we recommend using one of the following three tire sizes for these wheels: 225/45-17, 235/45-17 (APEX Staff Pick), and 245/40-17. Our personal favorite tire size when using the 17x8.5” ET43 SM-10 for a Winter specific setup is the 235/45-17, as it provides a perfect balance of performance, ride comfort, wheel protection, and Winter tire availability.

Here are some of our favorite 235/45-17 Winter tires across all three categories, as well as some recommendations for all-season tires for those that live in an area with mild Winter conditions:

Studless Ice & Snow:

#1. Bridgestone Blizzak WS90

#2. Michelin X-Ice Snow

#3. Continental Viking Contact 7

Studdable Winter/Snow:

#1. General Tire Altimax Arctic 12

Performance Winter/Snow:

#1. Pirelli Sottozero 3

Performance All-Seasons:

#1. Michelin Pilot Sport All-Season 4

#2. Continental Extremecontact DWS 06 Plus

Questions? Join us and your fellow enthusiasts on the discussion tab of this Group Buy for quick back and forth questions and answers from both APEX staff and the larger community.

-Happy pledging from the APEX team!