What is the widest tire I can comfortably fit on a 16" rim. The car is 2001 VDP.

 

Depends on the rim width. For example, the 8" wide 17" XJR (X300) rims are allowed to have 255/45R17 here in restrictive Germany. So I guess, if you can get some with the correct circumference (therefore sidewall percentage), you could fit some 255s. Maybe cleverer to go 245 or 235. 225 is standard.

 

9" all round before they rub, but that's on 18/19" wheels.

 

That's only half of the story; as you have factor in the side wall height as well.
If you go wider, you will need to reduce the outside tire diameter at a certain point, otherwise you will get rubbing, especially at the front.

Presuming you got, and want to stay with the OEM 16" rims, they are 7J wide.
OEM tires were 225/60.
You could fit 235 tires, maybe 245/55 if available at all, but the rim starts to get small for those sizes, distorting the tires.

As mentioned, if you want to go wider, it is better to go larger on the rims as well.

 

Thank you everyone for your help.

 

hey did you ever figure that out? I wanna put 245 50-16 on my XJ instead of original 225s.

 

I have 255/50/16 drag radials on orginal 7inch rear wheels.

 

The fact that it fits does not make it technically correct, 255 is considered too wide for a 7J rim

 

Since they are drag radials with soft sidewalls min is 7 inch wheels. Using normal tires - 8 inches.

 

I saw that, and yuo are perfectly fine with that.
The reason I mentioned this is that for the less technically challenged here on this forum, your advice might be read that 255 is ok to fit on a 16x7J rim, which is not.