Every true enthusiast has a soft spot for the BBS E88. It remains one of the most recognizable motorsport wheel designs of the modern era and for many represents the benchmark for race-bred engineering. As iconic as the E88 is, it was never intended for street use.
At its core, the E88 is a pure racing wheel. A true multi-piece construction that relies on a manually sealed joint between the halves to hold air. In a race environment, where wheels are routinely serviced, resized, and rebuilt between events, that design makes perfect sense. On the street, constant heat cycles, load, pressure changes, and real-world road conditions turn that same strength into a maintenance routine.
The appeal has never been the issue. The ownership experience has.
Over the years we’ve had countless sets of E88s pass through IND, and the motorsport mesh design never loses its impact.
For years we ran prototype RT88 setups alongside the E88 on our F87 M2, watching the evolution of the concept long before it reached production.
This is where BBS USA saw the opportunity.
The idea was deceptively simple: take the unmistakable face that made the E88 legendary and pair it with a barrel engineered for real road use. By adapting the motorsport center to a forged barrel derived from the LM program, they created a wheel with the presence of a race wheel and the durability enthusiasts actually need for the street.
Two icons, merged into one.
When the RT88 concept first appeared at SEMA in 2015 it immediately resonated, going on to win Best New Wheel Product in the New Product Showcase. It marked a turning point, not just for BBS, but for enthusiasts who wanted true motorsport design without the compromises of running a race wheel on the road.
View the official BBS SEMA award announcement
And then, for a long time, it went quiet.
The concept was proven and the demand was there, but production required the groundwork of real-world fitments and manufacturing. For years we continued to run hybrid versions, knowing exactly what the wheel could become if it ever reached full release.
Now, more than a decade after that SEMA debut, the RT88 is finally here.
Seeing the first official set in person is one of those rare moments where you simply stop and take it in. Not because it’s new, but because of the journey behind it. The years of anticipation, the conversations, the prototypes, and the waiting.
The RT program was created to bring motorsport design into a format that truly belongs on a street car. A race wheel is engineered for serviceability, rapid changes, and minimal weight. A road wheel must survive potholes, temperature swings, daily mileage, and long-term use without constant attention. Those are completely different design targets.
By combining a motorsport-derived center with a forged, road-focused barrel, BBS achieved something that previously didn’t exist. The look of a true race wheel with the structural integrity, corrosion resistance, and air retention required for real ownership.
The polished outer lip retains the visual language of the original race wheel while being protected for long-term use. The hardware is engineered to withstand real-world conditions. Every detail reflects the intent behind the project: authentic motorsport influence, engineered for the road.
What started as an idea has become one of the most meaningful wheel releases in recent memory.
For us, after years of running early versions and telling that story, being able to offer the official RT88 to our customers is more than a product launch. It is the realization of a concept we believed in from the beginning.
Race heritage, without the race-car compromises.
