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vwawd:

Interesting. Was there any mention of expected pricepoints?

Indeed.  245/35/17  

So Kumho can't get it right with street tires either eh? Well Bridgestone had bada$$ trackside support......Maybe I'll try them on my street car as a RE-01R alternative.

GChambers:

Word on the street is that the Kumho will only be available in 17in+ sizes.

GChambers:

Word on the street is that the Kumho will only be available in 17in+ sizes.

If this is the case I don't see what Ken is so happy about if he is still in a civic...

Kerry

Kerry Coughlin:

GChambers:

Word on the street is that the Kumho will only be available in 17in+ sizes.

 

If this is the case I don't see what Ken is so happy about if he is still in a civic...

 

Kerry

Oh that's just sad.  I really hope its just not 17"+ sizes?  :( 

Sorry for the delay in response as there's too much fun stuff to do in Vegas and little time to be in front of a computer.

According to Rick Brennan,  a 205/50-15 Kumho XS will be available as the only 15" size. Another size that may work for the EF Civic is a 215/45-16. I believe a 225/50-16 will also be made. There will be many sizes available in 17s and 18s as expected. 

 I spoke to a chief engineer and he tells me that the Falken RT-615 was the benchmark and that their test driver is consistently faster on the Kumho. Internally the tire has been known as the FK (Falken Killer). The test driver has also been faster on the new Kumho over the Bridgestone RE-01R.

If you're wondering why the one of the circumferential grooves is closer to the outside, it is for better rain performance without sacrificing dry grip.  

Construction and design is finalized. Compound has yet to be finalized should be in orderly fashion to meet the April deadline. Cannot say whether all the sizes will be immediately available but time will tell.

Prices should be similar to Falken RT-615 prices which will represent a good deal for such a fast tire.

K-Mo

Ken Motonishi:

The test driver has also been faster on the new Kumho over the Bridgestone RE-01R.

 

K-Mo

Good to hear Ken! 

So is the test driver you or the STIG??

When looking at the tread, why do I see a simplified version of the Japanese Kanji symbol for strength?? 

Because it is the character for strength, taken not from "Japanese" Kanji, but from the root Chinese character "Li." I don't understand why people think Kanji is Japanese when all it really is is a Japanese interpretation of Chinese characters.  When you look at Kanji, you're really looking at Chinese characters.  Koreans also use Chinese characters in their language as well, and the meaning in Chinese, Korean, and Japanese of this symbol is "strength."  So you got it partially right, but if you asked one of the people at Kumho (Korean, obviously) why they put a Japanese Kanji character on the tire, you'd probably get Tae Kwon Doed to the ground.  It's the equivalent to you owning a Corvette painted red, white, and blue, and then someone coming up to and asking why you painted your car in French colors.  :P

And for all of those curious about the tire next to the XS, the angle of the tire and the picture angle made it look weird.  It's the V710 in a new 225/45R17 size, the same size as the prototype XS tire.  The placement of the grooves are similar to the current V710s.  I noticed  the shoulders are more squared, that might be why it looks different.  Mebbe its that cheap Japanese camera that Ken was using (inside joke). 

25BP:

When looking at the tread, why do I see a simplified version of the Japanese Kanji symbol for strength?? 

 

thanks for the scoop!

Ken Motonishi:

I spoke to a chief engineer and he tells me that the Falken RT-615 was the benchmark and that their test driver is consistently faster on the Kumho. Internally the tire has been known as the FK (Falken Killer). The test driver has also been faster on the new Kumho over the Bridgestone RE-01R.

Prices should be similar to Falken RT-615 prices which will represent a good deal for such a fast tire.

Ken Motonishi:

I spoke to a chief engineer and he tells me that the Falken RT-615 was the benchmark and that their test driver is consistently faster on the Kumho. Internally the tire has been known as the FK (Falken Killer). The test driver has also been faster on the new Kumho over the Bridgestone RE-01R.

Any ideas on what the test car was? and tire size they were comparing with?

Definately going to be an interesting tire war next year if Toyo and Kumho get back into the fight.

Ian

Thanks for the info, Ken!

I 'almost' ordered a set of falkens for my MR2 tonight, but now I will have to wait until spring so that i can get the kumho's. The 245/35/17 is a killer size in the toyo. The old A520 yokohama used to come in that size....a good tire in its day.

Jojoo:

225 45 15's please.........................

I'd rather have 225/40-15's.

Jojoo:

225 45 15's please.........................

Same thing for me too please!!!

Ken Motonishi:

 I spoke to a chief engineer and he tells me that the Falken RT-615 was the benchmark and that their test driver is consistently faster on the Kumho. Internally the tire has been known as the FK (Falken Killer). The test driver has also been faster on the new Kumho over the Bridgestone RE-01R.

 Did they happen to mention what the test vehicle was?