EVO Tyre Test 2012
On the Pirelli web site there lots of different P zero tyres. Very strange that Evo imply there is only one. (I haven't read the full article yet).
Our car only fits the Pzero nero which describes itself as all about looking good on your modified car.
It doesn't sound great.
I am desperate for someone to build a good tyre in our size, the reports of the soft turn in on the new Michelin I think will lose what I love most about the car.
I am not too far away from the end of my exaltos and don't know what to do.
Like I said the highest priority for me is the sharp and accurate turn in, and having read all the posts on this I am no closer to a decision.
Our car only fits the Pzero nero which describes itself as all about looking good on your modified car.
It doesn't sound great.
I am desperate for someone to build a good tyre in our size, the reports of the soft turn in on the new Michelin I think will lose what I love most about the car.
I am not too far away from the end of my exaltos and don't know what to do.
Like I said the highest priority for me is the sharp and accurate turn in, and having read all the posts on this I am no closer to a decision.
- Joined
- Sep 12, 2010
- Messages
- 54
- Reaction score
- 22
The trophy I just bought (which I adore!) came with 4 brand new PE2s - they've been on a while but the car had only done a few hundred miles on them. Is it now impossible to get hold of the PE2s? If so I'll cherish them!
I ran the original conti-sport contacts for years on my 172 and I really rate them. They held up better on track than any other road tyre I've used and seemed to resist the rubber melt creep you get across the tyre surface. In contrast I had some conti-sport 3s and these were hopeless in comparison. I think they had the same grip levels but quickly overheated, melted and rolled over on the side walls. The originals contacts seemed to have an entirely different construction and the squarer profile ensured they didn't roll. The 3's on the front destroyed themselves in one afternoon at Anglesey!
So I'd recommend the original contacts. You can still get them in 195/45 so they will fit. I feel they are very like the PE2s and more of an 'original tyre'. To me recent tyres seem more rounded, probably better on damp and wet roads, but somehow 'softer'
I ran the original conti-sport contacts for years on my 172 and I really rate them. They held up better on track than any other road tyre I've used and seemed to resist the rubber melt creep you get across the tyre surface. In contrast I had some conti-sport 3s and these were hopeless in comparison. I think they had the same grip levels but quickly overheated, melted and rolled over on the side walls. The originals contacts seemed to have an entirely different construction and the squarer profile ensured they didn't roll. The 3's on the front destroyed themselves in one afternoon at Anglesey!
So I'd recommend the original contacts. You can still get them in 195/45 so they will fit. I feel they are very like the PE2s and more of an 'original tyre'. To me recent tyres seem more rounded, probably better on damp and wet roads, but somehow 'softer'
I've read the evo test and, whilst I love the Mag, the occasional tyre testing they do has become worse of late IMO. I do like the fact they give a fair weighting to "subjective" as well as the figures in all disciplines though.
I completely agree with that said above, I now have the original contisport in 195/45 on my cupped 182. It was the only tyre I felt could replace the PE2 for handling, the PS3 (in W rated) was not as consistent I found and I compared them back to back. It was a hard decision to choose to narrow the width but the original contisport in 195 actually has a wider tread section than the PS3 in 205 - yes, I measured it!
I like squarer profile tyres, the PE2 was "square" with angular shoulders and a wide tread, the Bridgestone RE050A and the original contisport seem to be on silimar designs. The latest designs seem to be aiming for grip and consistency but lack high heat durability and feel - compounds seems to be getting softer and softer!
I've not tried the AD08 but, going back to EVO, their tyre test of a few years ago said it was the best feeling tyre and clearly the dry weather/trackday choice - can bee bought in 205 45 R16 so seems to me to be the perfect 182 tyre (get winter tyres if needed)
I completely agree with that said above, I now have the original contisport in 195/45 on my cupped 182. It was the only tyre I felt could replace the PE2 for handling, the PS3 (in W rated) was not as consistent I found and I compared them back to back. It was a hard decision to choose to narrow the width but the original contisport in 195 actually has a wider tread section than the PS3 in 205 - yes, I measured it!
I like squarer profile tyres, the PE2 was "square" with angular shoulders and a wide tread, the Bridgestone RE050A and the original contisport seem to be on silimar designs. The latest designs seem to be aiming for grip and consistency but lack high heat durability and feel - compounds seems to be getting softer and softer!
I've not tried the AD08 but, going back to EVO, their tyre test of a few years ago said it was the best feeling tyre and clearly the dry weather/trackday choice - can bee bought in 205 45 R16 so seems to me to be the perfect 182 tyre (get winter tyres if needed)
Trophy turinis are 7 inches wide, as are 182 and 172 16 inch alloys (and also the original 15 inch OZ F1's on the first 172). No problem with the width being wrong for the rim.
Not saying it's the best size, mind you (I would deffinately want 205 width if there was a tyre I liked at a sensible price available) just that it works on the rim and Renault were happy to spec the first Contisport on all phase 2 172's, including the 172 cup, in 195 45 r16 size
The EVO test showed to me just how little difference there is in modern tyres from an objective point of view. Even the less well-known brand tyres in test are probably just as good as benchmark-setting tyres of 10 years ago (like the Goodyear GSD3, ContiSport or Michelin PE2). But, they still say there is a big difference between how they FEEL and I have also found that. I believe that the sharper feeling tyres are the ones that tend to wear more consistently on the shoulders and corner better at higher temps at the expense of cold/damp traction/braking. I like that.
Just my opinion mind, don't want to suggest I'm some tyre guru!!!
Last edited: