Hoonigan files for bankruptcy, bringing down its affiliated aftermarket wheel brands TSW and Rotiform in the process
Fans of retro aftermarket wheels will be saddened to learn that hot on the heels of BBS’s insolvency comes a further blow with the news that wheel brands TSW, Rotiform and American Racing are caught up in the bankruptcy of US company Hoonigan which in mid September entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection under the pressure of a $1.8bn debt.
Established as a lifestyle brand by famed stunt driver the late Ken Block on the back of his YouTube channel, Hoonigan was merged into aftermarket wheel distributor Wheel Pros in 2021, the organisation taking on the Hoonigan name in 2023. The company’s portfolio included many aftermarket wheel brands, but the two with which most of us in the UK will be familiar are TSW and Rotiform.
TSW began life as Tiger Sports Wheels in South Africa before expanding internationally and the European aftermarket wheel business subsequently being acquired by tyre maker Yokohama, which sold it to the US company in 2011.
Rotiform meanwhile is a younger brand, established in California back in 2009 and rapidly becoming a popular fitment on German performance cars, also known for its monobloc designs. Rotiform wheels are also popular on high-end Italian exotica with the firm providing the rims for the Ferrari Challenge series.
The company’s official line is that the move is a ‘strategic transaction’ and it’s hopeful of a long-term future, so there’s a chance that the two much-loved wheel brands will continue. Although let’s hope they don’t bring back the much-derided TSW Phoenix three-spoke…
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