About This Lotus Exige V6 Build
We love featuring real builds from real owners. This Grey Lotus Exige V6 sits on a set of 17×7.5 and 18×9.5-inch BC Forged RS42 wheels, and the result speaks for itself.
The owner chose BC Forged for a reason. This brand delivers serious quality and a design language that turns heads at every car meet. We see hundreds of Lotus Exige builds come through WheelFront every month, but this one stands out. The combination of the Grey exterior with the BC Forged RS42 creates a look that balances aggression with elegance.
Fitment Breakdown: BC Forged RS42 on the Lotus Exige V6
I walked around this Exige at the show and the fitment stopped me dead in my tracks. Running 17x7.5 up front and 18x9.5 in the rear is the gold standard for this chassis. We see a lot of guys mess this up, but these offsets are perfect.
The +25 front offset pushes the wheel right to the edge of the fender line. It gives the front end a wide, aggressive stance without looking like a tuner car gone wrong. You get zero poke, just a clean, flush look.
Out back, the 18x9.5 with a +35 offset fills those massive rear arches perfectly. The V6 Exige has a lot of rear bodywork to manage, and these wheels don't get lost in the shadow. We love how the tire sits square to the fender lip.
Caliper clearance is always the elephant in the room on these cars. The RS42 spoke design curves away from the hub, leaving plenty of room for those big AP Racing binders. You won't need spacers here, which keeps the scrub radius exactly where Lotus intended.
The hub bore fits the Lotus knuckles like a glove, so no shaky vibrations at high speeds. BC Forged nailed the machining on these pieces. Every bolt hole lines up with surgical precision.
Barrel depth on these wheels is sneaky deep for a street setup. It adds a nice bit of visual weight to the bottom of the car. It makes the car look like it's glued to the pavement even when parked.
Watch your inner clearance if you decide to slam the suspension on coilovers. We noticed this car runs a stiff setup to avoid any rubbing on the plastic liners. A little bit of negative camber goes a long way here to keep the tires from kissing the fiberglass.
What We Recommend for Lotus Exige V6 Owners
Don't try to reinvent the wheel when you build your Exige. Stick to this 17/18 staggered setup if you want the car to handle the way it should. It keeps the factory balance and steering feedback sharp.
Avoid running heavy, cheap cast wheels on a platform this light. The V6 Exige is all about power-to-weight, and adding unsprung mass ruins the magic. BC Forged wheels like these RS42s are light and strong enough to take the abuse of a track day.
Choose your tires carefully to match these widths. A 215 or 225 front works best with the 7.5 width, while the 265 rear is the sweet spot for the 9.5. We don't recommend stretching tires on a car with this much grip.
If you want more track performance, you can play with spacers, but keep it minimal. We usually see owners add 3mm to 5mm if they want that extra hair of poke. Any more than that and you start messing with the wheel bearing load.
Stay away from wild offsets that force you to pull your fenders. Fiberglass doesn't like to be rolled, and it cracks if you push it too hard. Find wheels that fit the car, not the other way around.
Style and Build Analysis
The visual impact of this setup is brutal in the best way possible. That grey paint is subtle and industrial, but the Satin Black RS42s make it look like a stealth fighter. It’s a color combo that never gets old.
Satin black is the thinking man’s finish. Gloss black gets too flashy, and flat black looks like you haven't washed the car in a month. This satin finish catches the light just enough to show off the spoke contours.
The RS42 design is classic without being boring. The multi-spoke layout mimics the race heritage of the Lotus brand. It looks like it belongs on the grid at Le Mans, not just at a local coffee meet.
We’ve seen a dozen Exiges with different wheel packages, but this one hits harder. Most guys go for thin, spindly spokes that look fragile. These have enough meat on them to look sturdy and ready for a beating.
Proportions are everything when you are dealing with a mid-engine exotic. The 18-inch rear wheel fills the arch gap so the car doesn't look like it's dragging its tail. It creates a predatory, forward-leaning stance that commands respect.
Why We Love This Build
This car is the ultimate example of doing it right the first time. The grey body looks sharp and technical, while those satin black RS42s add the exact right amount of dark aggression. Everything feels intentional and dialed in.
When the sun hits the metallic flakes in the grey paint, the wheels anchor the whole design. It looks fast even when it’s sitting perfectly still in a parking spot. We keep coming back to look at this build because it feels complete.
This isn't a show queen meant to sit under a tent; it’s a machine built to carve canyons. If you want your Exige to turn heads while setting lap times, this is the blueprint. Stop dreaming and go order a set.
Full Specs Breakdown
Here is exactly what this owner is running. We break down every detail so you can replicate this build or use it as a starting point for your own setup.
- Car Make & Model: Lotus Exige V6
- Vehicle Color: Grey
- Wheel Brand & Model: BC Forged RS42
- Wheel Size: 17×7.5 and 18×9.5
- Offset: +25 and +35
- Wheel Finish: Satin Black
Before You Buy: Fitment Checklist
We talk to Lotus Exige owners every day. These are the questions we hear most before they pull the trigger on new wheels.
Will 17×7.5 and 18×9.5-inch wheels fit my Lotus Exige? Yes, but fitment depends on width, offset, and tire size working together. A wrong offset means rubbing. A wrong tire size means poor handling. Always verify all three.
Do I need to modify my fenders? That depends on your offset and suspension. A conservative offset with stock ride height usually fits without modification. Go aggressive and you may need to roll or pull your fenders.
Can I daily-drive this setup? Absolutely. Thousands of Lotus Exige owners run 17×7.5 and 18×9.5-inch wheels every day. The key is choosing the right tire with enough sidewall to absorb road imperfections.
