Kraig Klippel wrote:
As for the Rivals, they have a wider grip sweat spot that takes just a bit more time to get there, meaning less initial response than the Z2. This isn't a bad thing if you like this characteristic.
Given this was the first time I've autocrossed the M3 in addition to the Rival (and adding in that I was way undersized at 245/40-18s all around since the 275/295s won't be available until June), I was incredibly impressed with the Rival. I'm glad I talked with Kraig before my last run with his comments of "push them harder, they love slip angle" as I went out and dropped 8/10ths or so on that last run still leaving plenty of time on course. One of my problems with the M3 is that power-wise it makes me think of autocrossing the M5, and I was off the cones a good bit in many places (see, this is my excuse...that I was driving an E39 sized line with an E90 size car...handy one, isn't it? No need to think I was driving poorly, not turning early enough, too far off some cones, as I can come up with these handy excuses).
On the initial starting sweeper, for example, with each run I realized that I was being too damn conservative with the power. I short shifted 1st in order not to be heavily loaded up and needing a 1-2 shift mid-corner, and the Rivals would just keep delivering stick with each successive run using more and more throttle. If I had attacked that first turn with Kraig's advice, I don't know, they could have perhaps handled a bunch more power. They are easy to control at the limits, I was just too conservative perhaps not to explore such. The S65 builds power so linearly that it's really easy to control on course, so that was a learning curve too as I'm used to the M5's brute mid-range torque just waiting to haze the rear tires. I actually like the S65 power delivery more, and the top-end hit (not used much on course) from 6000-8400 is just insane.
My gut impression expressed when asked about Rivals at the end of the day was that "they are maybe the best tire I've ever driven on". Expanding on why I felt that way was I guess the superb communication from the contact patch of what's going on coupled with excellent controllability at the top of the tractive force/slip angle curve. It's rare to have a tire with so much grip but at the same time to *not* have a peaked tractive force curve, or at least not a severely peaked curve. I think BFG/Michelin has hit it out of the park with this tire, especially when you consider that they wear very well.
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