Young Version — April 1998

“We want a tire that will leave the competition behind at the circuit or on the drag strip!” Dunlop answered that request by creating this tire. You might think “98” means this year’s specification, but if you know your tires, you probably thought of the D01 S tire used in competition and gymkhana. That is right: the 98 Spec incorporates D01 competition-compound technology and a high-rigidity case structure. The tread pattern is the same as the previous RSV, but groove depth is reduced by 25% to limit deformation under G-load. Responsiveness and resistance to heat fade are also greatly improved. It is a good match for a tuned Tourer V with coilovers, upgraded brakes, and increased boost, ready to attack Tsukuba Circuit…

I drove it hard at the circuit. The sizes were front 235/45ZR17 and rear 255/40ZR17. I was especially surprised by the strong longitudinal G. When braking into a corner and turning in, the tire gives a strong self-aligning force as it tries to return to straight ahead. Even when you let it slide on corner exit, the traction is so strong that it accelerates hard. It also feels very rigid. Its control is good when driven along the proper line, but…