Volk Racing

Rays Engineering was founded in 1973 in Osaka, Japan, during a period when Japanese motorsport was growing rapidly and domestic teams needed better wheel options than what was available from overseas suppliers. Rays started making wheels specifically for Japanese racing applications, recognizing that forged construction would deliver the strength and weight savings that cast wheels couldn't match. Volk Racing became Rays' flagship performance brand, and from the beginning the focus was on lightweight forged construction above everything else.

The TE37, introduced in 1996, became one of the most copied wheel designs in automotive history. Its six-spoke forged monoblock construction was developed specifically for circuit racing, delivering exceptional stiffness at a weight that cast alternatives couldn't approach. The 'TE' stands for Touring Evolution, and the '37' represents 3.7 — the original target weight of 3.7 kilograms for the 15-inch size. The TE37 appeared on Super GT machines, time attack builds, and track-day cars across Japan and eventually worldwide, and it has been in continuous production ever since in multiple variants including the Saga, Ultra, and TE37X. Countless imitation designs have been made, which is as reliable an indicator as any of how much the original matters.

Rays developed a proprietary high-pressure forging process using their own aluminum alloy formulation, achieving tensile strength meaningfully above standard 6061. Their wheels are used across Super GT, JGTC, time attack competition, and professional drifting throughout Japan. The brand has accumulated motorsport victories at the highest levels, including Toyota Gazoo Racing's multiple WEC championships where RAYS supplied the magnesium alloy racing wheels (branded as RAYS competition rims rather than consumer Volk Racing products).

Today Volk Racing is widely considered the gold standard for Japanese forged wheels, alongside BBS Japan. Enthusiasts building Evo, WRX, GT-R, and Honda track cars treat Volk Racing as the benchmark. The combination of real motorsport pedigree, serious weight reduction, and consistent design restraint keeps the brand at the top of the JDM performance wheel market.