SL/R231: Need pics of your R231 with 18-inch wheels for... uh... science!
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Jun 2025
Posts: 24
Likes: 6
From: Southeast Georgia
2017 SL450
Need pics of your R231 with 18-inch wheels for... uh... science!
I'm looking to downsize the wheels from the stock 19's on my SL450 to a set of less expensive 18's to improve the ride quality, but mostly to protect against potholes. I plan to store the original wheels in case I ever decide to sell the car, or I move to a place where I'll need a set of winter tires on the 18's and HP summers on the 19's. Also considering increasing the tire width from 255 front / 285 rear to 265 and 295, in order to get some meatier sidewalls. Tires will be Continental ExtremeContact DWS 06 Plus (I usually buy Michelin but figured I'd give Conti's a try this time).
I'd like to see what your SLs look like with 18's on them, so please post some photos of yours. Especially if you have any of the wheels I've listed below!
Here are a few of the options I'm looking at for wheels. All of these are 18x8.5 front, 18x9.5 rear, with 35mm offset, so they will fit any R230 or 231 SL and accept the stock tire sizes of 255/40-18 front and 285/35-18 rear. Feel free to give me your opinions on these:
Downsized stock-looking "turbines"
Split-5-spoke
Silver ten-spokes
And my personal favorite so far, because they're as close as possible to the optional ten-spoke wheels on the 2017 SL63 AMG:
ten-spoke black/machined lip W806 wheels
I'd like to see what your SLs look like with 18's on them, so please post some photos of yours. Especially if you have any of the wheels I've listed below!
Here are a few of the options I'm looking at for wheels. All of these are 18x8.5 front, 18x9.5 rear, with 35mm offset, so they will fit any R230 or 231 SL and accept the stock tire sizes of 255/40-18 front and 285/35-18 rear. Feel free to give me your opinions on these:
Downsized stock-looking "turbines"
Split-5-spoke
Silver ten-spokes
And my personal favorite so far, because they're as close as possible to the optional ten-spoke wheels on the 2017 SL63 AMG:
ten-spoke black/machined lip W806 wheels
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 293
Likes: 153
From: Nova Scotia, Canada
2019 SL450; 2023 M850i coupe
I'm looking to downsize the wheels from the stock 19's on my SL450 to a set of less expensive 18's to improve the ride quality, but mostly to protect against potholes. I plan to store the original wheels in case I ever decide to sell the car, or I move to a place where I'll need a set of winter tires on the 18's and HP summers on the 19's. Also considering increasing the tire width from 255 front / 285 rear to 265 and 295, in order to get some meatier sidewalls. Tires will be Continental ExtremeContact DWS 06 Plus (I usually buy Michelin but figured I'd give Conti's a try this time).
I'd like to see what your SLs look like with 18's on them, so please post some photos of yours. Especially if you have any of the wheels I've listed below!
Here are a few of the options I'm looking at for wheels. All of these are 18x8.5 front, 18x9.5 rear, with 35mm offset, so they will fit any R230 or 231 SL and accept the stock tire sizes of 255/40-18 front and 285/35-18 rear. Feel free to give me your opinions on these:
Downsized stock-looking "turbines"
Split-5-spoke
Silver ten-spokes
And my personal favorite so far, because they're as close as possible to the optional ten-spoke wheels on the 2017 SL63 AMG:
ten-spoke black/machined lip W806 wheels
I'd like to see what your SLs look like with 18's on them, so please post some photos of yours. Especially if you have any of the wheels I've listed below!
Here are a few of the options I'm looking at for wheels. All of these are 18x8.5 front, 18x9.5 rear, with 35mm offset, so they will fit any R230 or 231 SL and accept the stock tire sizes of 255/40-18 front and 285/35-18 rear. Feel free to give me your opinions on these:
Downsized stock-looking "turbines"
Split-5-spoke
Silver ten-spokes
And my personal favorite so far, because they're as close as possible to the optional ten-spoke wheels on the 2017 SL63 AMG:
ten-spoke black/machined lip W806 wheels
I considered winter driving the SL and bought these, but changed my mind. The ended up on my A5 instead.
https://www.canadawheels.ca/replika-...vehicle=170634
245/40/18 tire and rims.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Jun 2025
Posts: 24
Likes: 6
From: Southeast Georgia
2017 SL450
Not sure if this helps, but here's a pic with 245/40/18 tires and rims, as well as a link to the rims.
I considered winter driving the SL and bought these, but changed my mind. The ended up on my A5 instead.
https://www.canadawheels.ca/replika-...vehicle=170634
245/40/18 tire and rims.
I considered winter driving the SL and bought these, but changed my mind. The ended up on my A5 instead.
https://www.canadawheels.ca/replika-...vehicle=170634
245/40/18 tire and rims.
Also, love the grey over red spec, I think it looks amazing.
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 293
Likes: 153
From: Nova Scotia, Canada
2019 SL450; 2023 M850i coupe
That does help, actually. I think the evenly-spaced 10-spoke wheels look great on the SL. Gives me a good idea of how the black/machined ones will look; just the right amount of sidewall when viewed from the side. When you're looking at it from the front or back, do the sidewalls look mostly vertical, or are the tires a bit stretched?
Also, love the grey over red spec, I think it looks amazing.
Also, love the grey over red spec, I think it looks amazing.
18 Inch front view.
19 inch original wheels.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Jun 2025
Posts: 24
Likes: 6
From: Southeast Georgia
2017 SL450
What I meant by "stretched" is when the top of the tire looks narrower than it does where the bead contacts the wheel.
