I wanted to know If any one knows about the new Kumho Ecsta V700. Any word on the street about this tire? I used the Victoracer this year and liked it but I see that Tirerack has the new one at $5 cheaper that the Victoracer.

 

This is what I found on tire rack:

The ECSTA V700 is the newest competition tire member of the Kumho ECSTA high performance tire family. It’s a DOT legal competition radial that was developed in Europe and is now available in the United States for the drivers who participate in autocross and track events. Like its companion (the Kumho V700 Victoracer) the ECSTA V700 is attractively priced and designed to be a great "racing value" by delivering the best traction and treadlife per dollar.

The ECSTA V700 molds Kumho’s specially formulated high grip Silica competition tread compound into a directional design that features wide tread ribs in the shoulders and intermediate tread blocks to maximize dry cornering grip while enhancing handling and tread life. The ECSTA V700’s directional tread design also helps provide wet traction when run at full tread depth, however, if there is a lot of standing water on the track, caution is advised and/or the use of deeper treaded tires is recommended.

The ECSTA V700 is molded with 6/32" of tread depth in its two major circumferential grooves and is available unshaved (for autocross competition and road racing on damp tracks) and shaved (to between 3/32” to 4/32" of tread depth for dry track use).

The ECSTA V700 has two steel belts reinforced by two nylon cap plies to help stabilize the tread area and provide high speed capability. Additionally, a symmetric internal construction featuring three plies in the sidewall enhances quick steering response and high speed stability. As the tire's outer shoulder tread wears from hard cornering, the ECSTA V700’s directional tread design and symmetric internal construction allows worn tires to be remounted "inside-out" on their wheels to prolong their life.

 

The ECSTA V700 is indeed a competition tire - it has _less_ tread than a VictoRacer V700. More like a Hoosier, than a VictoRacer. Both will be produced - that is, the ECSTA does not replace the VictoRacer. The EV700 (for short :-) now comes in popular sized that the VV700 does not - 225/50/14, 225/45/15, etc. These are sizes that the Hoosier Radial comes in, that Kumho was lacking.

While I drive a Protege ES on the street, I autocross an Integra Type-R in G-Stock (Kumho's) and are quite happy to get the new size (vs the 225/50/15).

The EV700 is supposed to be ligther than the same size VV700.

We'll be getting a set soon to do some back to back comparison.

I had heard a rumor of some 'real' street tire from Kumho to compete with the Falken, but perhaps that was just confusion about the new ECSTA V700 since it shares the same name as the ECSTA 712.

Kevin

 

So, you came back to a Protege Kevin. I'm guessing it's the family car. Still gonna race the ITR a little longer I guess?

Dave Schotz confirmed on his site that the new next year Kumho ECSTA MX will be a street tire aimed at the BFG KD (and presumedly the Falken Azenis). Whether they will be out in spring as promised is yet to be seen. Since the EV700 wasn't put on sale until just recently (promised Spring 2001), I wonder if the EMX will make it out in a timely fashion.

 

Hey David - hows the quite car? :-)

Yep, too many Mazdas in the past, so had to get another :-) - it is the kid mover, but they've ridden in the Type-R, so they come to expect certain performance levels (hence my search for more power) :-)

We're quite excited to get the new size in the EV700 so we don't lose ground to the Hoosier.

I'm glad you found the scoop on the new MX - I hope Rudy C. can get the production people to co-operate this time :-)

You have the Falkens, right? Seems like you went pretty dang quick at the Seattle National Tour!

See ya,

Kevin M.
'00 ES

 

I still have some life left in my VV700, but when there done I think i'll get the EV700 some time next year.

 

The car keeps plugging along. Got killed at the last event at Buttonwillow, where we spent a long time in 3rd (Tom Berry hit the limiter in 3rd twice in the Miata). Having one of the least powerful STS cars hurts on HP courses. I really make up time on the transitions though.

I've been pretty happy with the performance of the Falkens. I just ordered another pair. Get the second pair in another month or so. I still have a little life left in one pair.

Yeah, the Seattle Tour was a lot of fun. I didn't enjoy the tight slalom at the end (did anyone?), but with all those trasitions, it was a good course for my car (as was the Wendover Pro, this year). If I could have just avoided the cones on either days fastest runs, I would have won.

See you in March.

 

Treadwear rating is 50 like the victoracer

 

Did anybody ever hear about Colway and Maxspeed tires? Thay are of British origin and made to FIA rally specs. They have moulded slicks(with little tread) in 3 different compounds(soft, medium soft and softest) with very attractive prices-about 50 pound sterling a piece for 205/45/16-half the price of V700. They are not DOT certified(nobody cares about DOT in UK) and primarily designed for tarmac rally and rallysprint. I did not bother to find out about their usefulness on very short autocross cource, but why not-if they good enough for 300 hp Group N cars, they should be fast warming and last a while too.
Demon Tweeks sells them www.demon-tweeks.co.uk
By the way, order catalogue on web site, they sell lots of interesting stuff, not a lot if anything for Protege, but what about sequential gearbox for Cosworth Sierra or portable 3D laser alignment system?
Alex