Can You Still Buy Tires With White Letters?

The majority of motorists are more interested in getting more miles out of their tires, rather than trying to find the best-looking rubber, but enthusiasts will find a way to tweak every single aesthetic detail they can — tires included. There are a whole host of different tire styles you can choose from, including low-profile tires for sports cars, off-road tires for your 4x4 project, and classic tires with historic tread patterns and fat sidewalls for your '60s weekend toy.

Another way to ensure your car stands out is by fitting tires with white lettering. Often dubbed RWL tires, for "raised white lettering," these first appeared decades ago, and made their name when muscle cars landed in the '60s and early '70s. The design became popular on-track too, as it helped tire manufacturers get their logos seen by the crowds and fans watching the action on TV. A bright white "Goodyear" or "Dunlop" adorning the wheels of a dominant race winner sent a clear message to enthusiasts on which tires they should be buying next.

As is so often the way, though, the style died out. As the peak muscle car era came to a close around the mid-1970s, RWL tires began to be phased out — partly due to the arrival of low-profile tires. However, some might say RWL tires are essential for creating that perfect period look on a classic muscle car, so manufacturers continue to produce them.

Tires are black for a reason, but those with white lettering are expensive to produce, so you're unlikely to find them on regular or budget-oriented tires. Instead, it's more specialist tires which sport the white finish, and in particular, tires designed for off-road use or for classic muscle cars.

Historic brands such as Firestone, Cooper, Bridgestone, and Goodyear all manufacture tires with white lettering, and in the style of traditional classic car tires, with period-correct tread patterns and bulging sidewalls. This style of tire is absolutely perfect for achieving the right look on your '60s or '70s muscle car, but it doesn't come cheap — prices typically range between $300 and $500 per corner in popular sizes.

During the 1970s and 1980s, off-road tires also began sporting white lettering too, and the trend has continued to this day. Brands like BF Goodrich still produce chunky all-terrain tires with white lettering, and these too come with a cost premium — expect to pay north of $200 per corner.

If you fancy the look on your Camry or Accord, then don't worry; there is no need to drop $1,000 on otherwise unsuitable tires. It's possible to achieve the look from home using a $10 white tire marker, although you'll need to take your time to ensure a clean, crisp finish. It's a little like coloring in as a child; if you go over the lines, the result will look cheap and tacky, but if you take care, it's possible to achieve a great motorsport-inspired finish on even regular, budget road tires.