Just thought that I would pass this along...

Hankook announced their RS-3 tire at the show to replace the RS-2 - 140 treadwear, AA/A traction, and killer looks... I believe that this MIGHT just put Hankook near the top of the street-class AX tire war. The Hankook reps were adamant that they were aiming to beat all other comers and they did their homework. Preliminary test data showed that they picked up 4 SECONDS at Buttonwillow versus the RS-2 on the same car - that's HUGE!!! They plan on making all available RS-2 sizes, too. First sizes will be released in March '09.

Nitto had their new NT-05 tire on display, too... Unfortunately, it's not going to come in any MINI friendly sizes as far as they could tell us - unless you wanna stuff a 235/40R17 under your car (which isn't that fast around the track).

There were a couple others, too - the Kumho ECSTA XS looks nice, for one...

Anyway, just passing along info - I can't wait to get my hands on a set of RS-3's!

 

That NT-05 looked like a hot tire to try, I didn't look into the sizing, that's disappointing to hear on the sizing.

 

Cool- thanks!

 

Is the RS-3 gonna be cheap like the RS-2?

 

There was no comment on pricing... Something tells me that means they might be more expensive? Shrug - guess we'll soon find out!

 

The Hankook press release says the orange flames won't be colored, but will be molded into the tread design like the prototype pictured at SEMA. They look, erm, HOT!

I want it in 215/40-16!

 

Interesting. The tread pattern is similar to the Kumho MX and Dunlop Z1 Star Specs.

Did Hankook say what the target market was? autox or track days?

 

Press release from Hankook

http://www.hankooktireusa.com/press/...t=&txtKeyword=


Looks like this is for the same market as the NT-01, R888 and the like that let you drive to/from the track on the tires.

 

The engineer told me that it's a great track tire and they did show a 4 second quicker time at the track - but he also tole me that they were aiming squarely to dethrone Bridgestone in STS and STX...

 

Those look HOT!

 

I give the flame pattern one autocross at Mineral Wells before it's wiped off - or, one track weekend...

Still, it's a very sweet tire.

 

When I had RS2's they got really greasy after ~ 10 minutes on the track. With my Star specs, no such problem, even after 25 minutes and that was Buttonwillow too. And I'm at 10k miles on the *specs now, still have 1-2k left in them.

If the RS-3's don't get greasy anymore, and they last 12-15k miles I'd try them.

 

Wierd - the R-S2's are wickedly consistent for me and Dr. Mike. Even mid-Summer here in Texas on a 25 minute session. We double-stint them at the autocrosses on our e30 325is - 16 runs a day on a myriad of different surfaces. We do spray them in July - September between the 2nd and 3rd and 3rd and 4th runs because there's no time to cool them on a nice straight and all tires tend to heat soak...

I also like the Star Specs... Also very consistent...

 

^ Well when I had them, it was on an S2000 and I was running on the tracks in Phoenix...though it was in the fall so temps were only in the high 90's

They were consistent in the fact that I could count on them getting greasy . No really, they were great tires...especially on the street but after 10-15 minutes I could tell the were hot. I could never push them through the full 20 minute session. Great tires up until that point though.

With the star-specs...I've had no issues, only had the star specs on the Mini though.

 

I've never had an issue with the RS-2 getting "greasy" either. Of course, you can heat up any tire by over driving it. But the RS-2 gives good aural feedback.

Alan

 

I have had R-S2's grease out on me on our high speed auto X course

Alex

 

yah. new does not = better...

id be skeptical especially this time of age when economy is crap
manufacturers could cut corners to get a lowercost tire with
inferior materials. (just being skeptical).

 

Curious - what cold PSI were you set up for on the R-S2's when they got greasy? And the hot PSI when you got off the track?

I normally start at 30 psi all around cold - hot PSI after a session is right at 36-37 PSI, depending on the ambient temps.

 

^ honestly I don't remember the exact pressures.

I think it was ~ 32 cold rear, 38 cold front; 44 hot rear, 48 hot front

But these are just off the top of my head and me trying to remember stuff from almost 2 years ago :p

 

These Look similar my Bridgestone REO1-R's

 

Wow, okay - if that's the case, I'm not surprised that they got greasy. 48 hot in front would casue wicked push, I think. We've found that with most good street tires, all you really need is 30-32 PSI cold for a starting point. The R-S2's really seem to hit the sweet spot at 36 PSI hot (assuming the temps across the tire are good).

 

Same experience here. I've had R-S2s, RT-215s, and RT-216s get useless with hot pressures above about 42. I agree with starting at 32 and letting air out till hot pressure stabilizes at about 36 to 39.

Alan

 

How do you like them? I've got the RE050A now, but when I'll have to change them I was considering the RE01R...

 

I started out with less pressure and it was worse. And it wasn't the front end I was having problems with...remember, S2000. The back would start stepping out on corners WAY earlier then before when the tires weren't overheated, the front had all the grip in the world.

Trust me, I tried lots of things...those pressures were what worked best. The tires just couldn't do it. Maybe on a Mini I wouldn't have the same problem, idk. With my Star Specs I ran them at ~36psi cold all around, they heated up to ~44-46 I think again, they did great.

 

Duh, you did say it was on an S2K! I think I'm losing it in my old-er age.