Japan celebrated its first TE37 Day on March 7, 2026, marking the 30th anniversary of Volk Racing’s iconic six-spoke forged wheels. The day has been officially recognised by the Japanese Anniversary Association, and the date, 3/7, was chosen to echo the wheel’s name.
Introduced in 1996 by Rays Engineering’s Volk Racing brand, the TE37 quickly gained popularity in the motorsport and aftermarket scenes for its robustness, lightweight forged construction and style. The TE37 name references the 3.7kg weight of the original 15 inch x 6J model. It has maintained an enduring presence in car culture ever since.
Like many great automotive designs, the TE37’s origins trace back to motorsport. The wheel was developed from Rays Engineering’s involvement in top-level motorsport throughout the 1980s and early ‘90s in series such as the World Sportscar Championship, IMSA, JGTC, BTCC and Formula 1.
Rays’ motorsport efforts saw Volk Racing wheels fitted to the rotary-powered Mazda 787B, which won the 1991 24 Hours of Le Mans, as well as to the Acura Spice cars that claimed GTP-class victories at the 24 Hours of Daytona in 1991 and 1992.
Those Daytona triumphs inspired the split‑rim Volk Racing GTP racing wheel, which was later offered as the GTP Daytona – a one‑piece design often regarded as the precursor to the TE37.
The TE37 wheel’s 1996 release was a runaway success, enthusiastically embraced by both motorsport outfits and aftermarket tuners. During the 1990s, TE37s appeared on iconic JDM sports cars, as well as machines competing in the JGTC before gaining worldwide popularity.
Rays continued the wheel’s success with a range of variants to suit different enthusiasts, from lightweight TE37 SL track wheels to SAGA and V editions for classic cars, off-road-focused versions and more.
The latest addition to the TE37 family is the 30th Anniversary Edition, offered in the same colourways as the 1996 originals and featuring either machined logos or retro-inspired decals.
If you missed TE37 Day this year, you can still mark the occasion by snaffling a set of these iconic JDM wheels here.
