No Pinch

   I finally had the opportunity to autox on the 205/45-16 Toyo R1R. I had Dunlops on the front and mounted the Toyos only on the rear. My reason being that the 23.3" tall Toyo will offer better gearing and more longitudinal grip. Unfortunately, this tire test was a miserable failure; all I got was a loose delayed squishy car that was nearly undriveable in transitions. However, with a wider wheel I believe this tire would be more than acceptable - Toyos need a wide wheel to support the soft sidewall - pinching is not suggested.

 No, I did not make any setup changes and the car may have performed differently with Toyos on all four corners, but honestly I don't think that would work well either, especially with the required 7" wheel width limitation. The handling was so bad I doubt they would be useful for rain duty.

  In other news, I am extremely pleased with the 225/45-16 Dunlop ZII tires. Compared to the Rivals, these Dunlops are much more precise and direct. I can immediately tell what the car is doing and thus I feel like I can drive more confidently and quicker. The car also feels more willing to rotate on the Dunlops and the braking feels fine. The gearing advantage is noticeable and still allows 60 mph in second gear.

Video from the March 16th autocross.