Abstract
In recent times there is a clear trend among OEM's in India to increase rim and tyre sizes on new generations of popular cars. The design appeal of larger rims and tyres is undeniable, they evoke a sense of added "sportiness", "more grip" and "better stability" in the eyes of the customer. Since tyres play a large role in influencing the feeling of comfort and active safety to the occupants in the vehicle, This paper researches the impact of rim size, tyre width and aspect ratio on the ride and handling characteristics of a passenger car. This work also investigates the effect of tyre size on full vehicle performance with respect to a local market condition.