Journalists compare different radial tires under the more extreme conditions OTION RECENTLY, TOYO ‘Tire invited a group of journal- ists to test drive five iden- tical Ford Taurus sedans, each equipped with different Sets of Toyo tires. The idea of the test was to compare the ride, handling, trac- - tion, responsiveness, and noise- levels of different radial tires under the most extreme conditions — conditions that approximate emergency situations that could be ‘encountered in everyday driving, suchas emergency lane-changing, avoiding children or pets that run onto the road, and sudden stops. ‘Performance wasn’t the only -thing being judged, though. Comparing ordinary radials -with high-dollar, high-perfor- mance radiats gave me a chance to ascertain their relative value. _ “These days, a good performance . tire costs twice that of a standard radial. Standard all-season radials are generally priced anywhere between $50 and $150; high-per- ‘formance all-season radials are in the $200 to $400 range — per tire. . The question for value- ° _ conscious tire buyers is: Is it worth spending that much extra money for a good-quality tire? -° Toyo Tire (the eighth largest tire . company in the world, by the “way) had four cars with four dif- ‘ferent sets of Toyo radials and one car-with a set of original equipment tires. ‘ _ The original tires were Firestone 205/70R-14 all-season radials, not ‘ a small tire by any means. “Still, the differences between . this tire and the Toyo tires proved to be quite surprising. The test track consisted of a ‘ tight but fast slalom; a slow, winding series of 90-degree bends; some fast S-curves; and a long decreasing-radius curve at the end “of which stood a stop sign. This meant we had to steer and brake at the same time, a condition that THE FOLLOWING are the scheduled road closures and detours for the coming week in North Vancouver District, City, West’ Vancouver District and along area highways. ‘ @ North Vancouver District: Redwood St., Sowden St., Philip : Ave.:’ Roadwork under way. Ex- pect delays or detours. Use alter- native routes if possible. Mountsin Hwy., Arborlynn Dr., to Kirkstone Rd.: BC Hydro trenching. Expect delays. Flagging control. often puts a car out of control. The first set of tires I tried were the standard Firestone radials. These were quiet and grippy at normal speeds and offered a very nice ride. However, when pushed hard they exhibited considerable tire squeal and traction-loss, resulting in Joss of steering control and vehicular stability. “OEM (original equipment manufacturer) tires are a com- promise at best,’’ explained Toyo’s marketing manager, Mike Cain. “They’re.asked to do a lot of things — be a snow tire, a rain tire, the manufacturer doesn’t know where you’re going to use it.”” Original equipment tires are designed to last longer by using a harder rubber compound. How- ever, there is a trade-off in hand- ling — harder rubber doesn’t grip as well as softer compounds used in performance tires. By comparison, Toyo’s all- season high-performance tire — the 600-HT ($147/tire) with simi- lar dimensions (205/70R-14) — had a grippier rubber compound anda higher H-speed rating good for sustained speeds up to 210 km/h (126 mph): . The 600-HT’s handling was definitely grippicr than the Firestone providing the driver with more confidence and control. However, the 600-HT stil! tended to plough (slide) and squeal when taken to its limits — though its limits were higher. To me, the driver, it was ob- vious that the Taurus’ handling abilities exceeded the tires. The next Taurus I drove was equipped with a lower-profile 60-series Toyo 600+ 4 HR-rated all-season performance tire ($187/tire). - The lower-profile design (shorter sidewalls) contributed to firmer cornering, greater stability, and a better sense of control. Equipped with these tires, the car could be driven quicker around’ the same bend without losing traction. Though it has a lower profile than the 600-HT, | found the 600+ 4 offered an acceptable compromise between a smooth ride and adequate grip. Next was the Toyo Proxes ZI, an ultra high-performance all- season radial priced at $342 per tire. One remarkable feature of this tire is its high treadwear rating. Most performance tires use a softer rubber compound for better grip, but this low-profile Proxes Z1 225/50-ZR16 tire had an unusually high treadwear UTQG rating of 300, higher than the 600-HT and the 600+4. Mount Seymour Parkway from Apex Ave. to Mount Seymour Rd.: Planting trees and shrubs. Flagging control. @ North Vancouver City: No scheduled road closures or detours. @ West Vancouver District: Taylor Way: Taylor Way south of Marine Drive will be closed to * traffic for road construction. @ Ministry of Highways: No scheduled road closures or detours. Even so, the Proxes Z1 proved grippier, quieter, and more responsive than any tire | had driven up until then. The Taurus” steering response, lateral stability and braking ability were all improved dramatically from the original equipment tires. Most of all, these tires felt safer. It was harder to get into trouble, and when you did, it was much easier to regain control. Though expensive, the Proxes Z1 is an all-season tire, which Means you don’t have to buy another set of summer tires. The last tire I tested was the Toyo Proxes FS, an ultra high- et rae performance radial fitted as standard equipment on at Jeast one Porsche model. The asking price for this tire is $420 (per tire). As a dedicated performance tire, the Proxes F1S uses a com- puter-designed tread and a soft rubber compound to produce outstanding handling and control. Even on a Taurus sedan, it offers unbelievable grip and response with cornering capabilities that are greater than most drivers’ abilities. This Proxes F1S should be fit- ted to an appropriate car — such as a Ferrari or Porsche — and is not generally recommended for garden-variety sedans. It’s an interesting fact that both Proxes tires were designed with the help of a super-computer, which, Toyo claims, accurately simulates the dynamic forces ex- erted on a tire in real-life testing. So is the extra performance and safety of a high-performance tire really worth it? For specialty-car owners, yes. Economy cars are often equip- ped with very small tires which should be upgraded for better performance. For family sedan and minivan owners, {’d recom- mend upgrading to a good all- season radial of the same size or slightly lower profile. LEASE/MONTH* Some of life’s most important lessons can only-be learned on the-street. Which is why anyone who purchases the high-performance 1993 Nissan 300 ZX is entitled to attend a two-day course at The Nissan School of Performance Driving. It includes both classroom and track training. The same training all Team Z representatives must undergo before we'll let them near a Z on the showroom floor. To find out more, see Regency Nissan, and discover the real meaning of an accelerated learning curve. REGENCY NISSAN *Based on 48 mo. lease O.A.C. $8000 down plus Ist mo. & security. T.P. $27,744, All applicable taxes and licenses extra. NORTHSHORE 1160 Marine Dr., North Vancouver D6127 965-9311 Built for the Human Race.