Which Tyres? Elise 220 Sport Tyre options for 2023

[Lee Blue]

Hi all, 

Where’s going to be the best place to get some new tyres for my 2016 Elise 220 sport please?

Not getting much luck…

🙏🙇‍♂️🤞

 

Edited March 5, 2023 by Lee Blue

[Rambo]

Blackcircles.

[Bibs]

Lotus will have some stock that you can access via your local dealership too. 

[Lee Blue]

Black circles don’t seem to have the sizes and am a bit weary of over inflated prices at the dealers… 

 

surely there’s an easy one stop shop other than a main dealer?

[pete]

If the dealers are the only ones with suitable tyres then surely the price isn't over inflated

[Rambo]

What are the sizes you require?

[philcool]

ASDA tyers just makesure you tell the fitters you choose to ballance them properly and don't damage the wheels when fitting  all fitted to 2007 exige correct sizes and speed and load rating for my car 

[Rambo]

ASDA? I don't mind them for the odd packet of crisps or cheap pork pies. But tyres? That's a new one on me 😯

[philcool]

19 minutes ago, Rambo said:

ASDA? I don't mind them for the odd packet of crisps or cheap pork pies. But tyres? That's a new one on me 😯

Just as good as any of the others it's all about the price and choice 

[Lee Blue]

Right now I have 175 55 16 on the front and 225 45 17 on the rear. They’re the AD07’s. 
 

I never thought tyres would be such a pain.  Easy enough to get tyres for the back, but a matching pair for the front…🤦‍♂️ 

So those tyres from Asda will go on ok?

[Lee Blue]

I’ve just watched a really interesting video on tyre slip angle. Really making me think about tyres in a different way…

[Bibs]

These reviews are always really good...

 

 

[Toeside]

Camskill  tyres Whitehaven. Mail order and fit locally?

[Techyd]

You can fit 195/55 R16 on a 5.5" wheel?  Mine has 175/55 R16s at the moment.  Mine is an early S2

[stevensr34]

Normally 175 width tyres are all that works well for a 5.5" rim. 

195 or 205 width work with 6.5" or 7" rims

[EuropaSman]

@Lee Blue I used www.mytyres.co.uk to buy the Yokohama V105s presently on my Elise R S3 and bought a set of Nankang NS2-Rs (yet to be fitted due to a delay in delivery of my TC5 wheels from Revloution Wheels) from www.tyreleader.co.uk for track days. No issues with either company.

Here are the links to what I purchased:

https://www.mytyres.co.uk/rshop/tyre/Yokohama/Advan-Sport-_V105_/195-50-R16-84W-RPB/R-399371

https://www.mytyres.co.uk/rshop/tyre/Yokohama/Advan-Sport-_V105_/225-45-R17-91W-MO--RPB/R-219138

You can also but a full set at Elise Parts:

https://www.eliseparts.com/shop/wheels-and-tyres/tyres/s2-s3-advan-sport-v105-tyres-full-set/

The V105s should be fine for normal fast road driving.

For spirited/track driving, Seriously Lotus is doing a good deal on Toyo Proxes R88Rs (cheaper than the Nankang AR-1s at the time of writing).

https://www.seriouslylotus.com/wheels-tyres/tyres/toyo-tyres-r888r-s2

The width of the front tyres went up when Lotus recommended V105s when AD07s ceased to be available.  It's just a shame that UUHP tyres like the Michelin Pilot Sport 4S are only available in sizes from 17 inces and over. That does limit chocie slightly.

Tyre details from the Elise 2004-/Exige service notes:

 

 

 

[EuropaSman]

An update on the NS2-R tyres. I eventually got hold of a set of preloved twin spoke forged alloy wheels (still no sign of the TC5s) and had the Nankangs fitted. I did a track day at Donington Park on the Grand Prix circuit in August 2023 (drizzly on the first session but dry after that)  and a test day at Curborough Sprint in September 2023 (dry conditions).

My initial impression is that the NS2-R is a good road & occasional track day tyre. Pushing on through the Craner Curves at Donington I found my own personal limit and not that of the car's. If anything the CL RC5+ brake pads  exhibited fade on braking into the Melbourne Hairpin on a couple of occasions.  I have yet to try the tyres in fully wet conditions.

For me, personally, I felt that the NS2-R gave me more confidence compared to the V105s and they were more grippy given that the tyre is a 180 tread wear rated semi slick. I'd say it's a good budget alternative to the V105s and is potentially a halfway house towards the likes of the R888R and AR-1 tyres, with the AO52 still being the benchmark. 

A tyre to watch out for in 2024 will be the new Nankang CR-S. This has the potential to be a budget competitor to the AO52 and is being marketed by Nankang as its premium offering in the range above the AR-1 and NS2-R respectively.