The Mercedes wheels may be from an ancient invention that modern technology has made simple and ostensibly complete. But, beyond the Mercedes wheels' basic functionality in the car assembly of providing motion train to the vehicle, all the four wheels are actually very much still open for development, especially if one considers the present trends in the automotive industry. One such trend is the increase in numbers and demands of performance rated Mercedes cars. Since Mercedes vehicles designed for performance are set with a power train that can be described to be the best in its class, the car's drive train and all other components are necessarily tweaked in order for them to keep in step with the Mercedes engine.

In order that the Mercedes wheels can guarantee performance that is up to specs with the engine, both stock and aftermarket varieties undergo a series of wheels engineering optimization. It starts with the materials used in the Mercedes wheels manufacture. Alloy and steel are the most common metals used on wheels. The key difference between an alloy and steel Mercedes wheel is their weight. Performance Mercedes wheels are made of alloy, a mixture of aluminum and other heavy-duty metallic substances. By using metal alloys the Mercedes car is equipped not only with high tensile wheels, but Mercedes wheels that are light and easy to maneuver. The weight reduction improves steering response considerably, as well as help improve acceleration and braking. With less weight the Mercedes meets less drag, so that the alloy Mercedes wheels likewise affect tire wear positively.

The light alloy make of the Mercedes wheels, however, does not necessarily raise safety concerns on their manufacture. There are three ways Mercedes wheels are made: forging, low-pressure casting, and counter-pressure casting. These manufacturing methods primarily determine the overall quality and performance of a Mercedes wheel. Forging is considered to be the manufacturing technique that produces the best Mercedes wheel. It allows for the compression of a solid aluminum billet into an aluminum wheel using over 13 million pounds of pressure combined with heat, producing the toughest and lightest Mercedes wheel in its class.

Low-pressure casting, on the other hand, is the form of rim manufacturing used in mass-produced Mercedes wheels. It is much like ordinary metal casting, where liquid metal is poured into a mold and allowed to harden until the finished wheel is cool enough to be taken out of the casting. On the flipside of the low-pressure casting method, the counter-pressure casting technique does not pour the liquid metal directly into a mold. Rather it is sucked into the mold using a vacuum. This reduces impurities and makes the Mercedes wheel much stronger.

Apart from the manufacturing method used in the construction of the Mercedes wheels, another factor that guarantees strength and handling reliability is the wheel assembly. Mercedes wheels are typically made in either one-, two- or three-piece construction types. One piece Mercedes wheels are composed of a wheel made in a mold as a single piece. Two-piece Mercedes wheels, on the other hand, are made of a center and a barrel that are usually welded or bolted together, while three-piece Mercedes wheels have a center, and inside rim half, and an outside rim half that are bolted together using the metal fasteners. Together with the wheels type and make of the Mercedes wheels, their assembly is likewise considered to be a determining factor in their performance.