How much better have performance tires gotten in the last 20 years? You’re about to find out in this first-of-its-kind track test.
If you’re not a tire nerd, maybe you will be after this, because it’s fascinating. We’ve got two sets of brand new summer tires: the Toyo Proxes R1R, which debuted in the mid-2000s and was produced without any major changes until this year; and the Toyo Proxes Sport R, which launched this year as the replacement for the R1R, benefitting from everything the tire industry has learned in two decades.
The R1R is basically a time capsule for how tire companies designed an affordable performance tire 20 years ago, and the Sport R shows how they’re reaching for the same goal today. And right now, we’re in the brief window of time where we can actually measure what those 20 years have done for drivers.
So, we grabbed some of the last new R1Rs available and the first new Sport Rs rolling out of the factory, a FWD Honda Civic Type R and a RWD time attack Toyota GR86, and put Nik in the driver’s seat to throw down laps in each car on both sets of tires.
You’d expect the Sport R to be faster, and duh, it is. But with our data recorders hooked up, we were able to demonstrate exactly why that is, where the gains came from, and what that says about the next 20 years of tires. Enjoy.
Big thanks to Toyo Tires, Apex Wheels, Garmin, Buttonwillow Raceway, and Stephen for the GR86
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I wonder if there is some driver bias since he knew he was using the older tires first. It be interesting to see a driver go in a car without knowing what tires he’s using first to get a more raw honest reaction.
Compound is different
You know what I find funny anytime they talk about old technology they always got some complaints about it but when it came out they said everything great about it. R1R tires I bet you they said all kinds of things great about it saying it's the best thing is the greatest oh my God they're so grippy! And all of a sudden 20 years later all they're not grip anymore they're not the best they're not the greatest there not good tires. Contradiction at its finest.
Need to start doing blind tests… Comments were filling too quickly.
Think you missed the opportunity to blind test each tyre
I have a set of brand new R1Rs in my storage unit. Well, "brand new" but they are like 20 years old NOS
Be interesting to test in different conditions. How do they compare on a damp or wet surface? How well do they perform from cold etc. Bound to be some scenarios were the R1R has an advantage. R1R is a legendary tyre!
You also have to understand that the track is re-paved each year
Why is it so hard for people to remove the stickers on the tires before installing them on the car. Lazy mechanics. Also I used to install tires at Michael tires plus. I removed all the packaging every time.
youtube content is so competitive. i make content, ill hand you a free stream recipe that will spread throughout the internet like fire…
get a good tyre, fill all the seams with sikaflex rtv (or similar) pretty much lather it on the whole tyre, use a spatula to bleed it through all the tyre seems. That’s your video front page, showing the spatula, rtv and the application method. that’s your click bait and it’s also backed up with interesting content. now test the tyre. you knows we’re all drunk on serious content and we like to see our serious content with some humour
K swap update when
WHY do people not take the stickers off new tires????
This reviewer just isn't right for presenting this kind of information.
Having never tested r1r I really wonder how good or bad of a tire it is. Ive tried some cheap semislicks, well known actually, very reliable, and no surprise there it wasnt really grippy, but it was a perfect training tire. This test makes me want to try r1r. Do you think with it being less precise would affect amateurs at track days like I am even slower than it was for you? Would I have less confidence to push the car to its limit?
I'd love to see some of the old tread designs with modern compounds. Some of the older tires had really sick looking tread patterns, but they would suck today. With a new compound, they'd be much better.
doing the test on two completely different cars is meaningless
I only want more grip on the track. Otherwise I want less grip so I can play with the limits of traction.
But it is not the same compound……….
Even if they keep the same thread form, they did not keep the same rubber formula.
So the end result is get Michelins
I betcha they make better asphalt and the track has gotten smoother over the years aswell?
I really dont understand why the my didn’t use CUP2R‘s in the Carrera GT… scared to go sub 7mins?😂
I find some of the language in older car reviews about how wild or difficult a car is to manage etc. are almost moot points if modern tires are equipped. Lets say you own a first gen viper, well if you have modern tires you are certainly not getting exactly as terrifying an experience as 400 horsepower used to be without any computer helping you with that. 90's re-pro tires would be a pretty cool option to bring some of that old fashion risk of sudden breakaway oversteer and subsequent death back.
is that fake engine/exhaust noise in the honda?
The ride on that Type R looks SO unbelievably stiff! Poor dude almost got bounced out of the seat.
Loved the video, though I am confused as to why you would test a wet tire against a dry tire. Most of the reviews I've gone over talk about the R1R being the R888R for the wet.
Is the R888R a newer tire? Why didn't you test against that instead for a more fair comparison.
I'm not stating I know more than you, the only thing I can say is you tested an old wet tire vs a new dry tire, as far as I can tell, unless the new tire is also a wet tire then I am mistaken.
Hopefully you guys see this and that it isn't taken the wrong way, would love your opinion in the matter
Toyo proxies are so cool looking