Question for the sporty drivers under us.
Tell me what you think.

The Proxes R1R is extreme performance for serious street driving in sports coupes and sedans

Developed from years of grueling on-track experience and engineered to elevated performance standards, it allows capabilities beyond normal driving limitations. An aggressive, arrowhead tread design, extra wide footprint, high-grip compound, and advanced autocross-inspired casing design, provide every advantage while driving hard through the corners and quickly accelerating in the straight-aways.


Silica-Reinforced, High-Grip Tread Compound - Improves grip for better handling and performance during high-spirited driving
Unidirectional Arrowhead Tread Design - Shallow grooves and a unidirectional pattern achieve balanced performance between wet and dry conditions
Tapered Center Block Edge - Stabilizes center block movement to decrease irregular wear. - Helps to increase hydroplaning resistance
Multi-Width EVAC Channels - Improve water evacuation - Narrow width at the tire edge widens the shoulder block area to enhance steering
Stability Control Slits - Provide resistance to irregular wear - Improve dry performance by maintaining block stiffness during aggressive braking
Advanced Autocross-Inspired Casing With Modified Radial Construction - Improves steering response and handling by optimizing the contact patch shape

Thats a bit extream for a panda! My stilo may benefit a set due to the torque and hp its pushing but not a stock panda... i just cant see the need unless your in something that wants to throw you in a ditch or something that has great cornering ability and twitchiness... my stilo is not a very good handling car in street driving, the front end is way to heavy and steering automatically adjusts its assistance under load and speed and angle of a corner, i find my steering wheel going quite heavy under firm braking towards and into a corner... dont like it all... needs better suspension then i may actually benefit from something like this.

I know a lot of Panda 100HP drivers that use semi slicks during the summer time.

You might ask yourself if a tyre like that will reach the optimum temperature to reach its full performance potential. If it doesn't, wich in most conditions is probably the case, you might be worse of then with normal premium tires. I think sportcontacts, potenza's or p-zero's will over more then enough grip for everyday driving.
Are you're winter tyres already taken off.. ;p

TheR said:

You might ask yourself if a tyre like that will reach the optimum temperature to reach its full performance potential. If it doesn't, wich in most conditions is probably the case, you might be worse of then with normal premium tires. I think sportcontacts, potenza's or p-zero's will over more then enough grip for everyday driving.
Are you're winter tyres already taken off.. ;p

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The optimum tread temperature range is between 71C and 105C.
Winter tires are already stored for the summer time.

The Pretender said:

Question for the sporty drivers under us.
Tell me what you think.

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Not in my neck of woods. Summer consists of rainy days between damp sunny spells....

I would love to put Dunlop Sportmax RTs on my 4x4 BUT I would be back at where I was with the Alfa.
The grip with those tyres was incredible but I fear that my Panda would just end up being a thrashed, over stressed skateboard which is not the reason that I bought it. Not entirely sure how the drive train would enjoy the extra grip either. Then I would be looking for a remap and another set of alloys in 16" and so it goes on.
However the devil on my shoulder would love to find out what it would drive like...:devil:

Euan

Soundmixer said:

I would love to put Dunlop Sportmax RTs on my 4x4 BUT I would be back at where I was with the Alfa.
The grip with those tyres was incredible but I fear that my Panda would just end up being a thrashed, over stressed skateboard which is not the reason that I bought it. Not entirely sure how the drive train would enjoy the extra grip either. Then I would be looking for a remap and another set of alloys in 16" and so it goes on.
However the devil on my shoulder would love to find out what it would drive like...:devil:

Euan

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I have the Dunlop Sport Maxx RT's on my Panda in 205/45R16"- 83W on 7Jx16" ET31 black steel wheels (14.5 Kg total per wheel/tire) and they are awesome.

My Toyo Proxis T1R are good tyre.. but i dont push them hard. I got them because of the price..£ 2.00 more than a budget brand.

Phils panda said:

My Toyo Proxis T1R are good tyre.. but i dont push them hard. I got them because of the price..£ 2.00 more than a budget brand.

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Nothing wrong with Toyo tires, i had on past Panda's the Proxes CF2.

Soundmixer said:

I would love to put Dunlop Sportmax RTs on my 4x4 BUT I would be back at where I was with the Alfa.
The grip with those tyres was incredible but I fear that my Panda would just end up being a thrashed, over stressed skateboard which is not the reason that I bought it. Not entirely sure how the drive train would enjoy the extra grip either. Then I would be looking for a remap and another set of alloys in 16" and so it goes on.
However the devil on my shoulder would love to find out what it would drive like...[emoji317]

Euan

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I intended to drive my Panda TA carefully when I first got it. The trouble is - I find it difficult to drive it slowly - I end up just wringing the life out of it on the back roads because the way the TA delivers its modest power is quite addictive. I need to lend it to my other half for a week or so to give it 'a rest' and improve my economy figures.

When I was 17 the answer would have been yes. Now however I have out grown such things and recognise that if you drive at normal and legal road speedsthese things are of no practical use aprt from the style accessory side. If I could have back all the money I have needlessly spent on such things over the last 40+ years I could have either retired several years younger or bough and paid for aither a nice Maserati or house. Resist the temptation and pay something extra into your pension fund, by God you will realise in die course how sound this bit of grumpy old man advice this is. Or just save for your next motor. Also, just think of the Tax you pay on such things and think how nice it is to not pay it... I love not paying tax on anything possible.

Grumpy old Fart.

petercresswell said:

When I was 17 the answer would have been yes. Now however I have out grown such things and recognise that if you drive at normal and legal road speedsthese things are of no practical use aprt from the style accessory side. If I could have back all the money I have needlessly spent on such things over the last 40+ years I could have either retired several years younger or bough and paid for aither a nice Maserati or house. Resist the temptation and pay something extra into your pension fund, by God you will realise in die course how sound this bit of grumpy old man advice this is. Or just save for your next motor. Also, just think of the Tax you pay on such things and think how nice it is to not pay it... I love not paying tax on anything possible.

Grumpy old Fart.

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One of the advantages of being grumpy and old is having the ability to purchase these things but no longer having the desire.


Pass an older chap driving a white Mustang convertible yesterday and sniggered to myself. I suspect, had he noticed me, he'd have probably done the same.

Cant see the girls POP benefiting from these whatsoever, they'd simply move the handling limitation to another part of the car..

That said, when the eco tyres wear out, she'll be getting Michelin All seasons, not that we have any cause for complaint on the OE fitment, but the Midwife has to get through!

The other thing to note is that these tyres are expecting you to fit them to a 1700kg Maserati, and put 300bhp and 150mph through them on a hot summer's day, around 3 laps of the Nurburgring.

The carcass will be lighter and designed to stay "cool" (I mean in temperature terms, not "a black suit and shades").

That means your Panda's 900 kilos and 50bhp trunding around Hartlepool at 30mph on a rainy cold July day is not even going to wake them up. They'll be skittish and you'll understeer everywhere, potentially without warning. You'll get better grip/better lap-time around the ring-road to the local KFC if you fit a more conventional tyre. They'll probably be cheaper too..


Ralf S.

^This^

I wouldn't even contemplate semi-slicks for summer road use on my Barchetta, let alone my Panda. I should imagine it's one of the quickest ways to end up in a hedge backwards.