Back in 1989, the Tordoff brothers, Brendon and Mark, took their passion for the automotive industry and turned it into one of the biggest wheel and tyre dealer networks in the country. Now, 30 years later, we have a lot to thank DTM Wheel & Tyre for, having pioneered many of the most popular brands and styles over the last three decades. They continue to push the boundaries of what is currently on offer to ensure the scene never becomes stagnant.
In the ’80s, there weren’t many size, design, or finish options for wheels that were manufactured in New Zealand, so Brendon and Mark turned to the overseas market. “We travelled around the world to find the best. Japan was big on aftermarket wheels. They were expensive back then. We’d buy 20 wheels to start with … it was a bit of a trial-and-error process. We realized there was more of a demand for the cool stuff that we diversified into. We started getting our own wheels made, and it grew from there,” says Brendon.
“Keeping up with them is a tough job. You’ve got to continuously think ahead. You’re trying to predict what is going to look cool next year or what the next trend is going to be … it’s a minefield”.
The company’s own in-house brand, DTM Wheels, has seen a surge in popularity over the last year, largely due to its affordability and extensive range. It’s difficult to put a number on the range of DTM wheels that have been created since the brand’s inception in 1995, but it remains the most popular wheel brand within the DTM brand stable.
“The first design was the DTM 057, for Japanese imported vehicles. We sold a lot of them. We had a couple of sizes to start before we expanded the range to include 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18”. Brendan explains.
“We did always sell DTM Wheels pretty fast. It got to the stage where we would pre-sell half a container before they arrived. People didn’t want to miss out.”
Since then, DTM Wheel & Tyre has grown to offer the widest range of wheel brands in the market, including MHT Wheels, Wheel Pros, Lenso, DTM, DTM HD wheels and many more; and saw the addition of tyre brands such as Nexen Tyres, Atturo, Altenzo, Hercules, and more, in 2008.
The Tordoff brothers and DTM Wheel & Tyre have achieved a lot, so here’s to the next 30 years.