This is a specific kind of tire review thread. Post reviews of EXTREME street tires that you have driven. Separating these reviews from all the other all-season high-peformance, long-treadlife high-performanace tires will help people who are specifically looking for the maximum dry summer grip.

Thread rules:

• DRY performance only. This thread is only for reviews of tires that won't be driven on the street in the rain. It is assumed you have other tires or another vehicle for that. Wet performance on an AUTOCROSS course may be relevant
• "Cold performance" here means your first autocross lap on a summer day, where the tires would be hotter for your 2nd and 3rd laps. Driving these tires in winter and freezing temperatures is not even considered.
• Tires should be "DOT legal". DOT stamped R-compound track tires are absolutely included.
• The minimum treadwear rating the SCCA allows for "street categories" is 140 UTGQ in 2014, going to 200 UTGQ in 2015, so we don't need to talk about tires with treadwear ratings any higher than that. Let's set a cap of 220 treadwear rating MAXIMUM to be reviewed in this thread (exception: The Michelin Pilot Super Sport which may be faster than the lower-treadwear Pilot Sport 2).

 

I will start:

Hankook Ventus RS-3
Size: 255/40/17
Position: rear
UTGQ: 200 A A
Speed Rating: W (168 mph)

I was very impressed with the Hankook RS-3s. Acceleration grip was impressive. I occasionally cut 1.99 60’ times on [what was then] a low 13-second SLK32 AMG. 2.05 second 60’ times were repeatable. The sidewalls were very stiff, which helped the handling response. They liked to be ran hot and grip was lower until warmed up. They are probably best suited for southern climates, track days, or heavier (3500+ lb) cars. They held up to hard driving very well. Car and Driver rated the RS-3 4th out of 9 tires in their 2012 “Monsters of Grip” comparison test.
Monsters of Grip: Nine Summer-Performance Tires Tested Comparison Tests - Page 7 - Car and Driver


Dunlop Direzza Sport Z1 Star Spec
Size: 255/40/17
Position: rear
UTGQ: 200 A A
Speed Rating: W (168 mph)

The Direzza Sport Z1 Star Spec is the softer tread compound version of the Direzza Sport Z1 (non Star Spec), and is the predecessor to the newer Direzza ZII. I bought these to replace the Hankook RS-3s because I wanted to try something with a softer tread compound that would exhibit more grip before warmed up. I was not let down, because that is exactly what they are. I have run these tires on dry and wet autocrosses and they performed excellently. I particularly like their forgiveness when pushed beyond the envelope. The Continental ContiSportContact 2 front tires had tremendously less grip than the rear Star Specs in the dry. To overcome the lack of front traction I would use the throttle to rotate the rear of the car around the sharper corners. The Star Specs would allow me to drift the rear end around the corner, then pull it back in line very predictably. Car and Driver rated the Star Spec 1st out of 9 tires in a 2009 Comparison test.
Tire Test: Nine Affordable Summer Tires Take On the Michelin PS2 Comparison Tests - Page 11 - Car and Driver

 

I would LOVE to hear anyone's review of the BFGoodrich g-Force Rival or Michelin Pilot Super Sport.

 

I have used RS'3's, Kumho Xs, Nitto Nt05, PS2's, Super sports, hoosier a6, nitto nt01, hankook ventus c71, kumho v710.. with that being said the Nt01 to me was one of the best all around tires, heated up fast, loved the heat with 2 drivers it just kept sticking and didnt have an issue with blistering or bluing the edges. hoosier's to me are a waste on these cars, not enough tire on the front to hold the weight and they corded fast, same as the ventus. the kumho xs is the best all around tire i think for the money, issue is it is being replaced hopefully with something better, but these tire loved heat, didn't have any issue with the tire rolling over, with the camber challenged srt it still gave us a lot of runs and was fast. the rs3 i have only used on the rear but it hooks up great on concrete and heats up quick, probably will be using these upfront until the new kumho v720 is released.
the super sport i have to say i was a little unhappy with, i ran mine on the rear at 35 psi which was high as odd as it sounds but the center was shot in about 10,000 miles, they stuck well when new but fell off quick.
all in all the nt01 up front and a6 on the rear is to me the best autocross tire if you don't want to run street class.
for street class the kumho xs if you can find them and the rs3 are great on both black top and concrete.
i have talked to many people running the rival and they have said its like the hoosier, quick at first but wears fast, most have gone to the ZII for autocross
and for the street i like the xs on the front and nt05 on the rear
just my opinion, hopefully ill be trying the rs3 on the front and rival on the rear shortly, possibly the dunlop zII up front

 

My favorites are Kumho XS and Hankook RS-3. Yokohama Advan AD08's are incredible cold but fall off fast when heated up. In hot climates you can overheat the Kumho's. I didn't have good luck with the Pilot Sport Cups. When they lost grip I couldn't recover control. Let's talk front tires. Nothing lasts or is decent IMO. Dial in enough negative camber for hard cornering and the inside wears out from hard braking. We just have too much brake dive for decent wear. The Kumho's are the most communicative, sound and feel, but the Hankooks are a smidge faster, me thinks. I have no experience on the other brands.

Les

 

From a grip perspective the Yokohama AD08 is the tire to beat. It will beat the Michelin Super Sport around the track handily. I had the AD07's and thought they were a fantastic tire. If you look at any test it puts down the best track time, instant turn in, great feel, etc. However it may not be the best tire for every car as it can enhance characteristics. For example on the M3 it is a real challenge getting it sideways on the track and understeer is more noticeable.

I made the mistake of purchasing the Hankook V12's. Hoping the reduction in price and greater tread wear would be worth the reduction in grip. I was very, very wrong. Big impact on grip with very little additional tread life.

 

We really need to know exactly what you want to know about summer tires. What's best for autocross, best for 20 minutes on a track, best on the street, best all around etc., makes a huge difference. I loved the Yokos for short blasts. Great tire. After 10 consecutive minutes on track (full out) they became slippery. The Kumhos XS are a great tire. They like heat and work good cold too. Get them really hot and you end up wondering what broke on the car. But it's hard to get them that hot. The Kooks were fast new, cold, hot, old but not as easy to go fast on. NONE of the above are worth a darn for drag racing. As I said, in my climate racing for 6 to 20 minute sessions I'd choose the RS-3's. When I first bought the Yoko's they were the cheapest. Now the cost a fortune. Then I tried the Kumhos for price. Then the Kumhos were back ordered so I had no choice but to try the Kooks. Unless your wanting a trophy, buy what's on sale.

Les

 

While I had my black roadster is had Michelin Pilot Super Sport. They were pricey, but an excellent tire; quiet, great handling, and lighter in weight.

 

Has anyone tried the Dunlop Direzza ZII?

 

Nitto Invo's are a beast. They are a little slick when cold, warm up quick, AMAZING Grip and when its pouring you wont even know except for the wipers crossing in front of you.

 

I have Michelin Pilot Super Sports. They are the best tires I ever had.

 

Great input everyone!

Les, my personal use is: aggressive street driving with occassional autocross. Most likely not any track days. I have Mickey Thompson ET Street Radials for drag racing. I store the car through the winter, so I almost never drive it in temps below 50 degrees F, but I do want something that doesn't need warm up laps to stick. Also, my car is black and I have another daily driver, so I typically do not drive it in the rain. I may get caught out in the rain occasionally, particularly if I have driven it on a busines trip.

These opinions are definitely helping me choose what tires to buy next, but I didn't want this to be another "what tires should I buy" thread. I wanted it to be a more generic thread where we post our experience and reviews of tires in the applicable range, and everyone can use the info to decide what fits their uses best.

 

There is some really good reading here:
2014 Performance Tire Buyer's Guide

and here:
Street Tire FAQ - Part II...2013

 

I ended up buying a set of four Bridgestone RE-11A tires.

They generally test a tad slower than the the top performers in the Extreme Performance category: the BFG Rival and Dunlop ZII. I chose the RE-11A for it being described as a legitimate extreme performance tire that doesn't trade off everyday driveability and comfort to deliver track-ready levels of grip.

Below is my decision making process based upon all the comparison tests my reseach found:

• Bridgestone RE-11A: great all around performance, precise steering response, huge dry grip, forgiving at the limits, safe in the rain, very quiet, comfortable over impacts [for tires in this category].
  
• BFG Rival: I would have bought this one, but it has very poor hydroplaning resistance. I rarely intentionally drive in the rain, but I like to take the car on long trips and I may get caught in a downpour.
  
• Dunlop ZII: I had the predecesser to this tire, the Dunlop Star Spec, and loved them. The ZII is FAST, but the grip is peaky (not forgiving at the limit), and it is LOUD, and HARSH over impacts. The ZII would be awesome on a road course, but not on the actual roads around here.
  
• Hankook R-S3: I had these. Good tires, but need a lot of heat. Better for a heavier car.
  
• Toyo R1R: Too soft. Better for a lighter car. My driving style would destroy these.
  
• Kuhmo XS: Old tech. Good, but not a top contender anymore.
  
• Yokohama AD08: Great dry and wet. I might have bought this one, but reviews say it rides pretty hard compared to the other tires in the Extreme Performance category and they are $200 more per set than the others without any advantage to go with that cost.
  
• Bridgestone RE070: Why so expensive bro? Get the RE-11A.
  
• Nitto: I have a personal bias against Nitto because I haven't been impressed with their tires in the past. I did not see any comparison tests placing them in the top spots.
  
• Continental, Michelin: These manufacturers do not have anyhing in this performance category. Extreme DWs (I have owned these) and Pilot Super Sports/PS2s/PS3s are down a notch.

I have several hudnred miles of mixed street driving on them now. I am VERY impressed. The cornering traction is much higher than any tire I have owned before. The straight line acceleration grip is better too. The steering is very responsive, but is not twitchy. The part is find most amazing is how quiet they are for a tire with this much grip. They really don't make any road noise, even over concrete, tar strips, or other nuissances. They ride fairly smooth and are comfortable over smaller bumps and surface changes, but larger bumps and potholes will definitely hit pretty hard though.

 

[QUOTE=boostmonkey;802817] I chose the RE-11A for it being described as a legitimate extreme performance tire that doesn't trade off everyday driveability and comfort to deliver track-ready levels of grip.

Below is my decision making process based upon all the comparison tests my research found:

• Bridgestone RE-11A: great all around performance, precise steering response, huge dry grip, forgiving at the limits, safe in the rain, very quiet, comfortable over impacts [for tires in this category].

I've had the RE-11's now for over 2 years, and run these for occasional weekend drives and occasional HPDE track days and AutoX. Completely agree with your reason to buy, and have found the above description to be very true and accurate of the RE-11's as well. I can add that grip hasn't fallen off at all, with perhaps 2 more track days(5- 20min.sessions)left in them. This tire is one of those best of all worlds tire; for those that like to occasionally race and don't want to afford the second set of wheels and tires. I'll be buying another set for next season and after wearing those out, will most likely graduate to race rubber, and finally get myself that "second set of wheels and tires". Would have liked to try the new improved tire for my next set, but was disappointed with the limited sizes in the RE-11A (at Tire Rack anyway). Perhaps there is a wider selection of the RE-11A in 18" elsewhere?