As the successor of the highly successful Proxes T1R tyres as used in the Toyota Vios Gazoo Racing one-make race, the new TR1 tyres have a lot to live up to and as tested at the Sepang International Circuit today, they sure did not disappoint.
The new Ultra High Performance tyre features a new asymmetric tyre pattern that focuses on giving the best possible grip in the wet along, along with enhanced cornering stability.
The new TR1’s combination of long slanted groves and lateral slits improves water drainage while the wide grooves and stiff rib, improves cornering grip and stability.
Also new to the Proxes TR1 is the “wear process finder” that uses “five stars” to indicate the tyre wear. The tyre will indicate five stars at the start and customers are encouraged to replace them when it shows “zero stars” – as if most Malaysians look into the condition of their tyres.
Having spent two laps testing the tyres in a F30 BMW 320i around the circuit, the first thing I realised was the rolling noise, which was close to non-existent, when cruising down the back straight at around 100-110 km/h – a speed that’s not uncommon for BMW drivers.
Going through Turn 5 and 6 of the circuit also showed how stiff the side walls were, as the car responded well to quick directional changes from successive left and right turns.
In terms of all-round improvements, the new Toyo Proxes TR1 is said to be 16% better in the wet and in terms of braking performance compared to the old T1R.
The Toyo Proxes TR1 is available in 24 sizes ranging from 15 to 19 inches and is mostly made in Malaysia (18-inch and above are made in Japan) with recommended retail prices starting from RM199 to RM800 per tyre.
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