They can't make a 245/45/16 but can do a 15 series tire.

[patz]

Kumho keeps a low profile with world's first 15 Series tire

[patz]

How low can you go? That's the big question in the tire-making industry, where profile sizes keep getting lower and lower. Sooner or later they're going to be spraying layers of rubber on a wheel with a pocket of air injected underneath. But in the meantime, Kumho has upped the ante (or lowered it, as the case may be) with its new 15 series tires, the lowest profile rubber on the market.
Wait, who? Okay, Kumho may not be as well known as Goodyear or Pirelli, but they've got an established history of innovation in tire technology – to varying degrees of usefulness – like scented, colored smoke and X-rated rubber. And while those may sound more like the stock list for the local "intimate apparel" store, it's things like that which have put Kumho on the map. The tires are being initially offered as upgrades for supercars like the Ferrari F430, Dodge Viper and Corvette Z06, and offer partial run-flat capability. Check out the press release after the jump and the images in the gallery below for more.

By Noah Joseph

[GH85Carrera]

I just wish someone made decent tires for 15 inch rims 7s & 8s Fuchs for my Carrera. Something I can drive on the highway in the rain or at the autocross.

[Tobra]

What size tires do you want? You maybe go down a little bit of a rabbit hole though, because the performance tires are smaller diameter than what it came with, so you will want to get springs, maybe some Konis, I think you see where that could go.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Maybe I'm just getting old, but I think the fad of rubber band tires on huge wheels looks stupid. I think 18" is about the sweet spot, any bigger and you have an expensive heavy wheel and a really rough ride.

[KNS]

^^ Completely agree!. Even Porsche has said that 19" wheels on the 997 and 20" wheels on the 991 are not the most ideal tire/wheel combos but they offer it because the market wants it.

[javadog]

Originally Posted by KNS

Even Porsche has said that 19" wheels on the 997 and 20" wheels on the 991 are not the most ideal tire/wheel combos but they offer it because the market wants it.

The "market" is ****ing stupid. It's hard to believe that people that have no understanding of anything more technical than how to pronouce their latte order at Starbucks can influence something that affects everybody that drives a car.

Idiocracy, here we come.

JR

[Tervuren]

the fad for incredibly expensive stupid wheels/tires, is driven by illegal money. Putting that money to an expensive car, raises red flags of how someone on welfare for five years just bought a Ferrari. Instead, the drug/gang money goes to taking a car with very low title value, and spending $100-200K of their ill gotten money to show off. The fad is fueled by tax evasion of "unreported income" of perhaps less than legal sources. Others take it up as posers.

[herr_oberst]

When I was a kid, every gearhead in high school had 60's on the back, 70's on the front (or, a little later, T/A 50's rear, T/A 60's front). Gabriel HiJackers were the big deal to get the rear of the car to clear those huge meats. My dad would just mock me for my choice, telling me that those great big tires on the front were ruining the handling of the car and wearing out components prematurely... He was partially right, my choices of wheels and tires was dictated more by the fashion of the day, rather than optimal performance but they looked great and I was fitting in with the crowd I hung with.

Ten years earlier, the sultans of the street were driving straight axle tri-fives with pie-crust Hurst slicks on the back with skinny little 165's on the front. The kids driving these cars were fitting in with the crowd that they hung with.

What's changed? Money and technology?

[masraum]

Originally Posted by GH85Carrera

I just wish someone made decent tires for 15 inch rims 7s & 8s Fuchs for my Carrera. Something I can drive on the highway in the rain or at the autocross.

There are some very good 15" tires for 7 and 8" wheels. They just aren't exactly the sizes that you're looking for. There are a bunch of 205 50 15 that are great tires and fit on 7" and 8" wheels, but the sidewall will probably be a bit thin looking on your car. If you go to a 205 55 15, your selection is not good. If you go to 225 50 15 you're pretty much stuck with track tires.

[Tobra]

225-45-15? Nope, not much, but you could use that in the back and 205-50-15 fronts and get the Rivals, though I could see those being pretty sketchy in the rain. I could have sworn there were like three different street tires in the 225-45, R-S3 was in that size I thought, hmm, it is, Proxes R1R is a street tire too, maybe they don't have the fronts, so it did not come up when I searched, but you could go 195-55 with the Proxes, it looks like.

[petrolhead611]

No trouble getting 245/45/16 tyres in the UK from quite few brands, eg Uniroyal, Maxxis at the medium quality, and other pricier brands eg Michelin Pilot Sports( but I get through front tyres quickly doing Autosolos in a front drive car so I stick with Maxxis Victra 3 which grip very well and are not expensive)

[patz]

Kumho used to make an Ecsta in the 245/45 and it was like $80. WTF happened to that? Dropped it like a hot potato.

I said screw it, sold my 8s and went back to 6 and 7s with spacers. 205 and 225s

[aschen]

The subject of the story is low aspect ratio, and they dont show a direct sidewall shot?


They did make a 265x16 a few years ago which was awesome. They didnt stay on the market very long as I suspect owners of 80s super cars were the only market. I still have a set on my 930.

[flipper35]

A 345/35 has the same sidewall height as a 245/50 so what section width is the tire with the 15% sidewall height?

[cockerpunk]

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy

Maybe I'm just getting old, but I think the fad of rubber band tires on huge wheels looks stupid. I think 18" is about the sweet spot, any bigger and you have an expensive heavy wheel and a really rough ride.

wheels and tires will keep getting bigger and bigger as belt-lines rise, due to safety regulations.

16 inch is quickly becoming a no-mans land for good tires. 225/50/16 is the only size any good performance tires are made in. i'd love to deep dish my phone dials (i love dials), but i cannot get a even a 245 in 16 on anything like a good tire.