Japan has its priorities in order. The Japanese Anniversary Association declared March 7 “TE37 Day” in celebration of the versatile and stylish Volk Racing wheel’s 30th anniversary.
TE37 Day was announced only a few weeks ago, so don’t feel bad if you didn’t mark your calendar for this important day. The announcement didn’t say exactly how the holiday would be celebrated, but parades and fireworks seem appropriate. Volk Racing promised “special edition models” and “exclusive commemorative items” throughout the TE37’s 30th anniversary year.
If any wheel deserves its own holiday, it’s the TE37. It arrived in 1996, just in time for the golden era of Japanese performance cars. And not only does it look great on cars from that era—from the FD Mazda RX-7 to the R34 Nissan Skyline GT-R—it looks good on just about everything else. Even Hot Wheels cars look better wearing mini TE37s.
The name “TE37” comes from “Touring Evolution” and the 3.7-kilogram (8.1-pound) weight of the wheel in its original 15-inch diameter form. For its 30th anniversary, Volk Racing is offering a special edition with unique graphics in bronze or white, but obviously isn’t messing with the familiar design.
Volk Racing is a brand of Rays, one of Japan’s biggest wheel manufacturers. Rays has supplied wheels to Formula 1 and 24 Hours of Le Mans competitors, but the TE37 might be the company’s greatest achievement. It’s as synonymous with the aftermarket tuning scene as the cars it’s fitted to, and hasn’t gone out of style after three decades. And like any true fashion item, it’s spawned a few knockoffs.
Declaring a holiday for the TE37 also shows the strength of Japanese car culture. It’s like if the United States set aside a day to celebrate the American Racing Torque Thrust which, come to think of it, might not be a bad idea.
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