They did a "performance" tire test, so it was mostly ST tires with a few bizzaros thrown in (ever heard of a LingLong?). The Falken Azenis RT615 got slammed hard as a poseur tire and the Dunlop Direzza Star Spec was declared the winner. The Hankook Ventus V12's got 2nd and seemed like a great DD/summer/occasional track tire to me if you weren't racing ST and needed a little more tread life.
Anybody else read it?
Azenis a poser tire? Really? I always thought they were the "I'm broke but I need a better tire than Mom's all seasons" tire.
I actually really like my Azenis. My problem is the other ST tires that outperform them are not available in 14" sizes.
C&D said they sucked in the wet but my best Auto-X finishes are in the wet. Must be the lack of power?
Which tire manufacturer has the larger ad in C&D? I'll bet money that tire did "really well, the GM E36 M3box cornered like it was on rails."
They used Tire Rack's facility and a new 3-series...
Funnily enough the tires Tire Rack doesn't sell did very poorly. 
Why doesn't Tire Rack sell Falkens? I love my 512s, and will be buying the 912s next, etc, etc.
P71 wrote:as little as 2 yrs ago the Azenis was the tire to have in ST ... they've just been passed by .... rummer has it that they are coming with a new one next yr that will put them back on top...I actually really like my Azenis. My problem is the other ST tires that outperform them are not available in 14" sizes.
C&D said they sucked in the wet but my best Auto-X finishes are in the wet. Must be the lack of power?
All the newer/better/faster stuff forgets us 14" wheel guys. 
LingLong's? Heh.
nderwater wrote:LingLong's? Heh.
MIne's Long too!
Did they fix their rating system? I remember they did a similar summer tyre test a few years back where their least favourite tyre (Continental ContiSportContact2's?) somehow ended up in 2nd place. Out of 11 tyres.
I'll be auto-xing on my new Direzza Z1 Star Specs (195-55-15) in late July. Looking forward to it immensely--I've never had "enough" tire.
I've only street-driven them for a month or so and I'm too old to be taking the car to 10/10ths on the street, so I can't give much real-world feedback.
BTW--these tires are VERY quiet on the freeway. Mysterious for a tire that performance-oriented.
I can't wait for my Star Specs (225/45/17) to come in Wednesday! They'll be my street tires for my RX-7. FSM knows I need them: The current tires are Hankooks up front, Dunlops in rear, and in E36 M3ty shape all around.
And I vehemently disagree with the RT-615s being labeled "poseur tires." I have some as summer wheels/occasional auto-x tires for my Subaru, and I can't compliment them enough. They're perfectly fine in the wet and are pretty long-lived for hi-performance tires.
Osterkraut wrote:Why doesn't Tire Rack sell Falkens? I love my 512s, and will be buying the 912s next, etc, etc.
You LIKE the Ziexs?
I had some Ziex 912s on my company car (Fusion) a couple years ago when they were a new tire. I liked them a great deal, whatever that is worth. I was hard pressed to make the Fusion understeer with those tires. Much better characteristics than the Continentals that came on the car.
As mentioned they also won our cheap tire shootout.
I've just had a hard time with them.... i have them on the Escort, and even from a rolling start, if i lay into the gas in 1st gear, they go up in smoke, dry pavement or not. I find them rather greasy, and a mediocre 3-season tire at best.
It may just be the characteristics of the cars that i've experienced them on, though. I've driven them on the Escort, my Celica, and an EG Civic hatch w/ LS Vtec.
I have el-cheapo Nexens on the MX6, and with probably close to 3 times the power in a car that weighs 300lbs more, they grab way better.
But then again, i'm also the guy that likes the RS2s way better than the RT615s as well, so take me with a grain of salt.
Long means Dragon in Manderine.
I never had any real traction issues even in snow however the company car was a 2008 Ford Fusion 4cyl automatic. We tested them on a Miata here at the magazine so neither were on high powered machines.
Interestingly enough I have Nexen N5000 on my fiances 2000 Impreza 2.2 Wagon. I have been very pleased with how they handle again though this is an AWD low powered car.
