HRE has long been known as a performance-driven company where strength, lightness and superior engineering have forged some of the most iconic wheel designs of the past three decades. Inspired by its best selling three-piece Series S1 line, HRE has now launched a Monoblok interpretation of these three designs to create the Series P1. The Series P1 debuts with three new models, including the 5-spoke mesh P101, the V-5 spoke P104 and the split 5-spoke P107, available in diameters ranging from 19 to 22 inches and widths from 8.5 to 13 inches. Features include sculpted spoke geometry and lightweight pocket machining inspired by HRE’s world-record breaking motorsports division, aggressive conical profiles and spokes that extend to the wheel lip.
Fresh on the heels of this press release we were able to spend some quality time with Patrick Moran, Creative Director of HRE Performance Wheels to discuss the past, the present and the future of HRE as an organization.
We wanted to include questions that we have often heard within the Audi Enthusiast community about HRE or aftermarket wheel options in general – we hope that this will serve as a great tool to reference should you be entertaining an aftermarket wheel purchase for your Audi in the future!
How long have you been at HRE and what rolls have you held within the company?
I started with HRE back in 2010, so three years come SEMA actually. I started in the Design Director roll with a focus on industrial design, eventually I moved into overseeing all marketing as well, now as Creative Director. I still do some wheel concepts but also manage the design of everything that the consumer sees like magazine ads, dealer displays, our SEMA booth, website, catalogs and social media.
With the evolution of the high-end modular wheel market, I think there’s an emphasis on proving quality/R&D/testing in the product. How does HRE differentiate itself here?
The simple fact is there is a lot of competition in the wheel business. We differentiate ourselves by focusing on each of the details and the strengths that we have throughout the whole process. Some companies have good styling or quality but not many have both, as well as good lead times, great customization, great service and a lifetime structural warranty.
We are also one of the few companies that have a TUV certification for our facility and our wheels that we sell in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. We went to Jay Leno’s garage and testing was one of the main things he was concerned about – he’s not really in to aftermarket wheels because of that issue but he definitely was satisfied with our answer in knowing the extent to which we test our wheels. Our goal is to be the best in all the areas that matter. The fact you can call us, choose a wheel beautiful style, diameter, fitment, color and have it delivered in generally 4-6 weeks at our level of quality is unique in the industry. So if you look at the entire process, that is where HRE shines and many consumers don’t realize a lot of these areas until after the purchase. We’ve had a lot of cases where customers will try another wheel company, but ultimately come back because the overall experience was not like they had with HRE.
For someone that has never ordered a set of custom forged wheels, talk about the process and experience a buyer should expect. Timelines, Dimensions, Finishes – how does HRE communicate this and stay in touch with buyer?
We have a lot of experience with owners and they come in all types. Some are very knowledgeable and approach the purchase knowing exactly what they want and other buyers don’t, they are simply looking for a specific aesthetic from the wheel. I’ve had cases where a customer will see a picture in an HRE ad and say, “I want that” to the point where they’ve gone out and bought the car just to put the wheels on it. If a customer doesn’t have specific style in mind, we’ll give them our recommendation on a style and color that we think will make a great statement and still be appropriate for that customer.
From there it’s about fitment and how they are using the car, whether it’s a daily driver or they’re tracking the car. There’s a spectrum of fitments from OE to Stance and we have a model specific guide that we’ve built through trial and error over the last 30 years to pull from. From there, its color and finish and this is often a similar situation where it may be difficult for them to choose. But we’ll send them examples or take multiple wheels out to their car and look at them and even render the wheels on the car – really anything we can do to make them feel confident they are getting what they really want. Right now, our lead times are about 4 weeks, so it’s amazing that you can get all that customization and have it in your hands so quickly.
How does HRE handle the questions of fitment, specifically offset – today the conical profile of a wheel is very important. How do you know what works and is there any type of tool/calculator/measurements a consumer can take to try to maximize their purchases’ cosmetic appeal?
Honestly, calling us is the best thing they can do. A lot of people see images online that are so heavily rendered they think that we should be able to do that to their car. In many cases what they are seeing isn’t real or the cars have been so heavily modified we need to take a step back and go through the fitment process so their expectations are realistic. Some people know how to measure the brakes and wheel well for clearances but many don’t. We work closely with our dealer network for feedback on this – as an example, we have a local dealer here in California that does a lot of flush Audi fitments, and even he has to go through some trial and error with offset or tires to get it perfect, so it is not an exact science when you take into consideration that it is a personal choice by the consumer. Some will roll fenders, or take a wheel liner out, others won’t, so it’s very bespoke to each buyer – it’s aesthetically driven and we all have different opinions and tastes and HRE respects that and tries to deliver on each customer’s individual expectations.
Tell me about the aluminum blanks business and how that’s made life easier for HRE and other companies like it, or set it apart from competitors.
The best forged wheels come from the best forgings, and all forgings are not created equal just because they say it’s 6061-T6 aluminum. We use Aluminum Precision Products because their largest customers are in the aerospace sector, such as Boeing and Airbus. Alan came from Northrup-Grumman and I used to work for Boeing and we know first hand the importance of having the highest quality components and for HRE, this all starts with the forgings. Every part we use in the process is the best quality we can find from the forgings, assembly bolts down to the powder coat and packaging because that’s what produces the best wheels, and also contributes to our costs. We could easily scrimp on cheaper materials, but that doesn’t give us the confidence we need in our product – that is why APP has been a long time partner with us at HRE.
You’ve just released the P1 line. Tell me about the evolution to take your S1 line and make a monoblok – how is this different than the P40SC line?
We released the Series S1 line last year just prior to SEMA and immediately we started getting requests to make it in a Monoblok format. We held off to give the S1 and P40SC some breathing room but also so we could take our time and make a new Monoblok wheel the way we wanted – and that just takes time. The goal of the S1 was to give the consumer the long spoke look that goes out beyond the lip and it’s very complex and time consuming to make. The P1 shares this design philosophy – it too was made to look as big as possible. By removing the center bowl that all P40s have, we achieved a larger look as well as making them stronger and lighter yet again. Interestingly, each iteration of the P40 Series, starting with the P40, then P40S and then P40SC, have gotten lighter and stronger with each evolution. With the P1 we have found a way to make it even lighter than the P40SC and it boils down to the structural integrity of having the ability to dip (cut) into the bowl and around the lugs like we did on the S1. The combination of minimizing stress around the bowl area allows us to take mass from the center, yet make it stronger by not going from a thin area of a spoke to a mass area like the bowl and when you minimize that, you get a great structural curve. The S1 focus was not as much on weight but styling, and the P1 is a combination of both, yet simpler without the hardware of a 3-piece. The P1 is lighter, stronger and due to design, visually looks much bigger – it really is the best Monoblok series that we’ve ever made.
Has HRE done anything to try to keep their designs from being replicated by competitors?
This is the age-old question of can you (or should you) patent a design – the reality is anyone can copy an iPhone or a BMW from a style standpoint but that doesn’t mean it’s just as good. In general, the basic styling of most wheels on the market are similar – you have mesh, multi-spoke, split 5, etc. – but at the end of the day you cannot compare an Alfa 8C and Ferrari Enzo just because they both have a carbon body and Ferrari engine.
This holds true for wheels and it comes down to engineering and execution as to why a wheel is successful or “better” than another wheel. A consumer can look at a similarly styled wheel that costs 75% less, but they buy the HRE because they know there’s more attention to detail in every aspect of its production. When you see a VW or Audi guy that puts HREs on his car, they are making quite an investment vs overall cost on say an Aston Martin or a Bentley. In a lot of cases, VW and Audi guys are spending more to upgrade their car than many of those luxury car buyers because they are true enthusiasts and understand and appreciate that about an HRE. The HRE customer generally feels that way about other aspects of their life as well – they want the best in whatever they are doing, it’s a mind set.
HRE is a boutique high-end wheel company, what goes into the high cost of the product, what is a customer getting?
From beginning to end, each component of an HRE is the absolute best that we can find – from the design and engineering to the forgings and finishes to the service you receive before and after, is all top notch. We have been around for a long time and this is how we’ll be around for another 30 years, by making a quality product and giving people great service so they come back again and again. An HRE is an investment, and it’s about every piece of the puzzle, we are not just selling wheels, it’s also the brand and everything that goes with it.
Alternatively, talk about the decision to release the FF01 line and how is this wheel different than other cast offerings?
HRE FlowForm evolved because there is a large group of enthusiasts out there that didn’t have an HRE option available at their budget. It made more sense to give them a high-quality cast option to introduce them to the HRE experience early instead of trying to only capture them later when it was time to buy a forged wheel. It’s also a beautiful wheel and it continues to surprises me how good they look in person on a wide range of cars from an Audi to a Camaro. One of the reasons for this is they were made to bolt on without spacers – this comes from our vast fitment knowledge. You can simply put them on whether or not you’re car is lowered and see a huge aesthetic difference, and any additional suspensions modifications you do will only enhance them. When deciding where to make them, we of course would’ve preferred a US vendor but that really isn’t an option unless you’re an OE manufacturer. So we went to Japan where we knew we’d get the highest quality wheel made, regardless of price. HRE FlowForm stays true to the philosophy I’ve mentioned earlier about giving people a high-quality product combined with great service, so despite a premium price; you’re also getting a premium product and experience being a part of a group of people who really understand and appreciate quality.
You’ve got a new retro line of wheels. How have these sold for you and do you plan to do any more of these sorts of designs?
The Vintage Series is definitely a niche line that has really resonated with VW/Audi owners, in particular the 501 which is our best seller from this series. I even put it on my BMW E36 because it has a wide appeal and looks good on lots of different cars. We’d like to expand this line with more styles and formats so stay tuned for that.
Switching topics, what is the craziest wheel build you have seen, be it sizes, finishes, etcetera?
Ha! Yea, traditionally we are a very technical company so we are not one to do a 30” wheel or something like that. I think the customization coming from Japan is great to see. I often walk out to the shop and see some insane red or green or two-tone finishes and I immediately think it must be going to Japan before I look at the packing slip and sure enough….yep. I really enjoy it and I am glad they do it, not everyone feels comfortable doing that. A little known fact though is HRE actually made the first Davin Spinners back in the early 2000’s – that would be the craziest thing we’ve done for sure.
Back on topic, what does it take to stay ahead of the industry in design evolution, finishes, materials etc.
There are new raw materials being developed all the time, but for consistency sake and development costs we haven’t really gone there yet except for our Carbon Series. For example, we could make a Titanium wheel, but people don’t realize that when you go to something so light and so strong, it may change the aesthetic of the wheel to something they don’t recognize, in addition to being insanely expensive. We always have to innovate but often you cannot go too far ahead of the market expectations. We have to read the market and trends, and see what the car industry is doing to decide where we head next. Because we’re all car enthusiasts, we also get bored with what’s out there and we want to push on to the next great thing. The conical profile is a good example. Right now everyone wants a conical wheel but this is always a struggle because the OEs are getting rid of this for improved packaging and performance. Today the cars are coming out with higher profiles and huge brakes, so we don’t have the same area to work with as we did on cars like the Murcielago and many BMWs. Someone will come to us now and say “I want a 6 inch lip” but if you have a Golf, it’s just not possible unless you put a widebody kit or something on it. People often don’t understand how that works and we really have to educate them on it.
What is the best way to go about contacting HRE to inquire about a set of wheels for a customer’s Audi?
www.hrewheels.com is the first step. You can see examples of wheels on cars, finishes, our latest photoshoots in our Gallery as well as find one of our preferred dealers. You can always just call us at 760-598-1960 if you have questions on anything. You can also find us on Facebook, Instagram, Flickr and other social formats.
What does the rest of 2013 hold and can you give us any insight to HRE for 2014 and Is there anything else you would like to share or communicate with the Audi Enthusiast?
You will see us at SEMA this year in the same location (booth #22359) right next to Ford with a larger booth and more cars. Outside of that, I cannot divulge too much, but we stay light on our feet enough to be able to change direction at any point – so it’s always an exciting ride!
Earlier this week, an order was placed with HRE performance wheels to run the new P101 wheel on the Project S7 feature here on Fourtitude. Over the coming weeks, we will have another series installment with HRE and specifically, the actual 21” P1 wheel, that is being made for the S7. Patrick and HRE have been kind enough to take us behind the scenes at their facility in Vista, CA and give you the reader a rare look at the actual wheel production that will take place to develop a bespoke custom forged wheel for this project. Expect detailed production images of the shaping, cutting and the finished product as we take you from the conception of the wheel to the build/finish of the monoblok construction and eventually the finished product. Thanks to Patrick for the candid conversation and stay tuned!
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