Both are Italian, both have been making wheels since the 1960s, and both are genuinely good. The difference is what they were designed to do — and that maps cleanly onto what kind of build you have.
NARDI: the classic road wheel
NARDI Torino is the wheel you picture on a period Japanese street car. Wood and polished spokes on the Classic, leather on the Classic Leather, usually 330–360mm, usually modest dish.
Pick NARDI if: the car is a clean street build, a restoration, or anything where the interior is meant to look period-correct. A wood NARDI in an S13 or an AE86 is the look, and it has been for thirty years.
In stock now: Classic 33π, Classic 36π, Classic Deep 35π.
MOMO: the motorsport wheel
MOMO came out of racing and it shows — suede and perforated leather, flat-bottom and deep-dish shapes, more aggressive grips. Typically 320–350mm.
Pick MOMO if: the car gets driven hard. Track days, drift, anything where you want grip with gloves on and a smaller diameter for faster hands.
In stock now: MOMO Ferrari Wheel.
Size matters more than brand
Honestly — diameter and dish will change how the car feels far more than the badge will. A 330mm wheel is noticeably heavier to turn without power steering than a 360mm. Deep dish moves the rim toward your chest, which is what you want in a low seat and wrong in a stock one.
Work out the size first: size and dish guide.
What each costs used
Prices move, but the bands are stable enough to plan around:
- NARDI Classic (wood) — $250–450 depending on diameter and condition of the wood. Deep-dish versions carry a premium.
- NARDI Classic Leather — $220–330. Cheaper than the wood, wears better, less of a showpiece.
- NARDI Garda / Challenge — $200–280. Sportier shapes, often overlooked, often the best value on the shelf.
- MOMO — wide range depending on model and era. Suede racing shapes sit similar to NARDI leather; rarer models go well beyond it.
Anything dramatically below those numbers is either damaged or counterfeit.
Condition: what actually matters
These are used parts, and honest wear is normal. What matters is which kind:
- Wood: surface scratches and patina are fine and can be polished. Cracks in the lacquer or a split at a spoke joint are not — that's structural.
- Leather and suede: shine at the 9 and 3 positions is normal wear. Splitting or a seam letting go is a re-wrap, which costs real money.
- Centre and spokes: light corrosion polishes out. Bent spokes or elongated bolt holes mean it's been crashed or over-torqued. Skip it.
Which one for a Silvia, Skyline or AE86?
There's no wrong answer, but the pattern we see: street and show cars go NARDI, track and drift cars go MOMO. A wood NARDI Classic in an S13 is the archetype. A suede MOMO in the same car says it gets used.
If the car is both — and most are — go on diameter. 360mm for comfort and parking without power steering, 330–340mm for faster hands and more legroom.
Both need the same thing to fit
NARDI and MOMO share the 6×70mm pattern, so the boss kit is chosen for your car, not the brand. See hub adapters explained.
Buying used
Both are heavily counterfeited. Before you buy from anyone — us included — read how to spot a fake.
Browse all genuine JDM steering wheels.