BBS Autotechnik

History

BBS began in 1970 in Schiltach, Germany, as a manufacturer of plastic auto body parts, founded by Heinrich Baumgartner and Klaus Brand. The company name derives from the founders' surnames and the city. In 1972, BBS developed its own three-piece racing wheel, the BBS Mahle, produced in partnership with Mahle. By 1975, the company had created the cross-spoke design and the counter pressure process.

A technical cooperation agreement with Korean company ASA was signed in 1990. In 1993, BBS introduced the two-piece RSII wheel, bridging forged and cast designs. A magnesium forged wheel for motorsport, over 20% lighter than cast aluminum, was developed in 1994. The first one-piece flow-formed cast wheel, using FEM analysis, appeared in 1995.

In 2000, BBS, with Porsche and Kuka, produced the first hollow-spoke wheel. BBS went public on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange in May 1987. Political unrest in Guinea in 2007 raised aluminum prices, leading to bankruptcy and acquisition by Belgian firm Punch International. South Korean firm Nice Corp became majority owner in July 2015. BBS filed for insolvency in 2020 and was acquired by KW Automotive in March 2021.

Technology

BBS wheels are produced using a multi-stage forging process with 8,000 to 10,000 tons of pressure and heating above 400 °C between steps, yielding high density and strength for lightweight milling. In 2002, BBS introduced Air Inside Technology (AIT), creating hollow chambers within the wheel to compensate for low-profile tire air volume, reduce unsprung weight, and improve handling and fuel efficiency. This innovation won the Automechanika Innovation Award 2006. BBS manufactures one-, two-, and three-piece forged wheels from aluminum and magnesium alloys, along with flow-formed and low-pressure cast wheels, employing methods such as CNC back-milled spokes, x-ray inspection, FEM analysis, and heat treatment.

Motorsports

BBS has supplied wheels for Formula One, the 24 Hours of Le Mans, IndyCar, DTM, NASCAR, the World Touring Car Championship, and other series since 1972. In 2012, BBS Motorsport & Engineering GmbH became independent under the Japanese Ono Group and moved to Haslach. Production of BBS forged racing wheels continues in Japan, with Washibeam Co., Ltd. manufacturing the BBS F1 Magnesium wheel and all racing aluminum wheels. BBS is the largest supplier of wheels for IndyCar and a main supplier for Formula One, and began supplying the NASCAR Cup Series in 2022 with the Next Gen car.

Aftermarket

After BBS wheels gained popularity in the 1970s through motorsport and manufacturers like BMW and Porsche, aftermarket demand grew. The three-piece RS, released in 1977, became a widely replicated aftermarket wheel. In 1987, BBS introduced its first one-piece forged wheel, the RG. The two-piece RSII followed in 1992, and the LM, a two-piece wheel based on Le Mans race wheel design, in 1994. The RI-D, the world's first duralumin wheel, was released in 2011. Global sales expanded in 1983 with the founding of BBS of America, BBS France, and BBS Japan (with partner Washi Beam Co.), allowing sales to domestic manufacturers and the public. BBS currently offers three aftermarket lines: Forged Line (one-, two-, and three-piece die-forged), Performance Line (one-piece flow-formed), and Design Line (one-piece cast), each with wheels focused on performance, motorsport, utility, or classic design.