So I know Kumho has been out of the game for a long while with there out of date "XS" 200 tw tire. My buddy works for a wheel company that can get me a good discount of Kumho's new 200 tw tire the ecsta v720. Once I get my track wheels I'm going to get them and try them out, see how they perform. Subb'd for updates on other tires though.

Tirerack did a track test so take that for whatever it is, I've never ran the Rival or RE71 but I have ran the rs3 v2 and rs4 tires from hankook.
https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires...del=Ecsta+V720

 

@SoSoEVO
I think as long as the tire doesn't get too hot too quickly then the V720 should be fine unless you are looking for every 1/10th of a second you can. The less you send on tires, the more money you'll have towards track days/maintenance.

 

I recommended the 615k+ for OP's usage. Most people posting here are very competitive so the consensus will be re-71. If your funds is unlimited then get the 71s. If limited, then you have other choices that will almost do as well.

 

I don't think the RE71 would, at all, be appropriate for a mostly daily-driven car. Hell, I didn't even drive to the track on mine They just wear way too fast.

 

I daily-drove RE-71R for a while. They didn't wear as fast as I thought they would for DD duty. The R-S4 is still better for DD, though.

 

Exactly...without my friends discount I probably wouldn't try these tires, +1 to more funds allocated to track days/ maintenance.

 

Careful on the V720's. They have had a nice chunk of reports of the center ribs having delamination issues. Even on the Tirerack website it says the following...

"its design focus is street use and specifically to excel in the short runs seen during autocross competition, the Ecsta V720 should not be driven on a race track."

The tires are priced right, but there is a reason why they're priced right....

 

Also to add on that of that, this email was from Kumho in regards to someone bringing up their delamination issue... The last sentence should be good enough.

Update from Kumho: "Thank you sending in the additional pictures. Upon reviewing the pictures, the tires are exhibiting a delaminating/tread separation issue. Keep in mind, using the tires for multiple autocross events Will wear the tire out faster than tires that are driven on the road Currently, there are no delaminating issues with people using the tires for the street and autocross. From my observation, V720 customers generally are able to get 2-3 autocross events Out of the tires before they need to switch them out to a new set"

 

Thanks for posting those pics! Whoa dang I did read some reviews that mention the delam issue but I didn't think it was that serious. Hmmm decisions...decisions...

 

Wow. That's terrible. But for someone planning to only try a few events, maybe not bad.

 

With that being said, 615k+ will not delaminate and it probably grip as well as the V720. I daily drove those and went to like 12 autocross events no problem, also scored Fastest time of day at an event(when someone else drove the car, he's really good...). Plus, it's the cheapest out of all the 200tw tires but with a loss of a couple percent of peak grip.

 

I am happy with my 615+. Lasted through one track event so far. Need to do an auto-x race to see how they do there.

 

As a tire strictly for street use, I'm happy with the RT615K+

 

I think the MPS4S's are one of the best all around tires on the market. Near the grip of the MPSC2's but 2.5x the wear. I ended up putting a set of 245/45's on my car (no 255/40's avail) and am very happy with them so far. They have more grip than a responsible person could use on public roads.

I've also run the RE71R's and think they are a good tire if you're going to see a lot more track. Not great in the wet.

If you want ultimate grip and price no object:
- Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2's
- Pirelli Trofeo R

Cup 2's are actually pretty great on the street even in the wet. Good for maybe 10-12k miles on the street.

 

To weigh in on sizing...
You may find that response and sharpness is enhanced when using 225/235 section width on the 8" wheel vs using oversize width tires. I know a lot of guys run 245/255 on the stock wheel, but it kinda dulls the feel if you are concerned with the cornering performance of the vehicle. Also, a lot of the EPS category tires tend to run a bit on the wider side compared to their more pedestrian brethren. I actually run 225/45/17 on the stock 8 wheels at the track. Getting that tiny bit of stretch helps to stiffen the casing and provide a good sharp feel.
I remember running 255 Toyo RA1s on stock 8 wheels long ago. Grippy, but dull.

I have been using BFG Rivals for HPDE for a little while now. They are actually the older compound. I've just been really happy with them though. Grip is consistent over a pretty wide temp range and they remain predictable even when you overdrive them. Their heat tolerance is quite good. And they wear like iron. I would totally try the newer compound just because they seem to be a great quality tire.

I run a 18x9 w/ 255 Federal 595 RS-RR on the street at the moment. These tires are stupid loud. Fortunately the car is not a daily. Grippy, but it sounds like you are being tailed by a small aircraft on the freeway. Have not driven them on the track yet.

615k+ has come a long way since the original 615. I used to hate these tires but the latest compound seems pretty different. Recently had my eyes opened (from the right seat) out at CVR in my buddy's Evo X. The new compound in the K+ seems like good bang for the buck.

Nitto NT05 are pretty old now and considerably slower than the contemporary tires, but they are predictable and durable so if you find a good deal and you are more concerned with stretching your dollar/fun vs ultimate lap time, they are worth a look.