[neverendingmods]

Looks like tire rack has some new Direzza's coming out end of this month. Replaces the previous Sport Z1 Direzza. Not too many specs up yet but tire rack has The Direzza Star Spec listed as 20lbs for 255-40-17! That's 8lbs lighter than previous tire. Can anyone confirm this?

Here is the info from tire rack.......
Dunlop Direzza Sport Z1 Star Spec)

[boondocksaint]

I'd be interested to know:

1) how stiff are the sidewalls for turn-in
2) how fast they wear out

They're talking about the compound warming up fast and delivering consistent grip. Seems like treadlife would have to suffer. But that's rank speculation on my part.

[GCtoSTI]

wow they just look super soft...

[neverendingmods]

They do look really soft.
Boondocksaint, I also wondered how stiff of a sidewall a 20lb tire could have. Only being $13 more than previous Direzza and 8lbs lighter, I can't imagine they are uber stiff. Some tire manufacturers(can't remember off top of my head who) use carbonfiber based sidewall bands to keep weight down and sw stiff. If the weight is on at 20lbs and price @ $180-220 for 255-40-17, I will give them a try late fall if autox guys give a thumbs up to them. Still have 60% tread on stockers but now I be spinnin pretty good on street and am searching for a ultra sticky tire but a "lighter" one compared to RE070's. I'll post back when I get more info on these "Star Spec" Direzza's. Too early to tell if just hype. I will be checking out the RR course at E-town this summer. My car is not a daily driver but is still a street car(DOT a must) so NVH and hydroplainining resistance is not factored into tire purchase decision. As far as price goes, just so they stick like flypaper and will pass for streetable, I'm in.

[IlliniSTi]

Word is that the dunlops actually have a really stiff sidewall. Check out the congrats to andy hollis thread on sccaforums. The dunlops were also on the winning STU car at the last prosolo.

It has been the new toyos that have proven to be super soft and wear really quickly.

[stretch]

20lbs is just a 'default' of tirerack software. The only 20lb tires have no other info.

Expect it to fall in line with the other similar sizes which are certainly not 20lbs.

There's a decent sized thread on the Z1's already. Great reviews.

[lunatictokyo]

this was posted on some other forums, and other websites too ....

StreetInsider.com - Dunlop Direzza Z1 Tires 'Star' in SCCA National ProSolo

Dunlop Direzza Z1 Tires 'Star' in SCCA National ProSolo
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April 3, 2008 2:00 PM EDT

AKRON, Ohio, April 3, 2008 /PRNewswire/ -- Dunlop's new Direzza Sport Z1 "Star Spec" tires came through with "flying colors" at California's El Toro airfield.

Racer Richard Jung, of Laguna Niguel, Calif., won the Street Touring Ultra (STU) class with the new street tires on his Mitsubishi Evo in the 2008 Tire Rack ProSolo opener at the former U.S. Marine air station. Then he did what he believed was unthinkable.

The vice president for CiroDesign, an Irvine product-and-graphics design company, raced against 32 drivers from all classes in the Super Challenge "format" and won all five elimination rounds. He was crowned Super Challenge champion. Jung was the only SCCA driver using Dunlop Direzza Sport Z1 "Star Spec" ultra high-performance tires at that event.

Jung said, "El Toro was a great debut for the new 'Zed One Star Specs.' The class win created a lot of interest in Dunlop tires. I did well previously on the Direzza Sport Z1 tires with an STU class victory in San Diego two weeks prior, but the 'Star Specs' were even better.

"I can feel the difference; you can push 'Star Specs' on the first run. This was an advantage, since it allowed a more consistent feel and reduced the need for suspension adjustments between runs," Jung said.

Matthew Neidert, brand manager for Dunlop high-performance tires, said Jung's class win "proved the Star Specs could be a top contender in STU. But by winning the Super Challenge in one day, he kicked down the door. His times and consistency allowed him to take the win over the cars from other classes, even those with race-compound tires."

A win in the hotly contested STU class is noteworthy, Neidert said, but Jung's overall win in Super Challenge "truly is amazing. He really had his Evo 'dialed in' for the competition."

Jung said he became interested in Direzza Sport Z1 'Star Spec' tires when he read press reports. "I didn't really plan to be different, but to be a top competitor in the class, I feel it's important to test tires to find out what works to gain a performance advantage. We're still learning the tire's characteristics, but so far we've had pretty good results," he said.

The new Direzza Sport Z1 "Star Spec" is available now, qualifying it for use in Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) national events. According to section 13.3 of the 2008 SCCA SOLO rules, tires must be readily available by April 30 to qualify.

The new tire features the "Star Spec" tread compound, which helps a performance car's initial dry grip during sanctioned amateur driving events, such as autocross and high-performance track-events hosted by regional car clubs.

A high-response directional tread pattern with circumferential grooves helps create a consistent contact patch on the pavement for a smooth feel and seamless transition. An "optimal mold shape" helps provide a consistent footprint shape and uniform pressure distribution across the footprint for enhanced cornering, Neidert said.

Dunlop is a global tire brand with an excellent reputation among performance car enthusiasts. Well known for its prestigious original-equipment fitments and sports car racing heritage, Dunlop is also a key supplier to sport compact enthusiasts featuring "tuner" tire sizes and race series sponsorships. For more information on Dunlop's performance tires, go to Dunlop Tires.

SOURCE Dunlop Tires