The Proxes 1 is Toyo Tires’ new flagship for the company’s sporting Proxes line of high-performance tires, so it makes perfect sense that it is also the company’s most technologically advanced product to date. It was engineered from conception with a focus on high-speed performance, high-load cornering and extreme braking, as well as for both wet and dry conditions; all of the qualities enthusiasts look for in a maximum-performance summer street tire.
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Toyo Proxes 1 - Product Spotlight
This new tire is loaded with modern features and technology allowing it to live up to its flagship status. The Proxes 1 has a straight blocked non-directional asymmetric tread design, which allows for excellent water evacuation, multi-compound rubber construction (for front tires, more on this later), and easy rotation for cars with staggered size specifications. Other features include interlocking tread blocks that improve directional stability in straight-away driving and slanted grooves that close during cornering for increased stability. A multi-function taper is also applied to the inside of specific tread blocks to obtain uniform contact pressure during cornering and to provide a wider channel along the circumferential groove to resist hydroplaning. One additional feature is the Silent Wall technology in the tread design that decreases noise transmission by reducing pipe resonance when traveling on today’s varying road surfaces.
The Proxes 1 utilizes the latest in tire construction methods by means of a wider high-rigidity belt package developed through TruForm Technology. The result is better uniformity and improved handling performance because the contact patch is consistently maintained from low to high speeds. Also, a highly rigid casing, sidewall and bead design is utilized for greater directional stability, and for quick and linear steering response.
In addition, 6 of the 10 available sizes (those less than 285) feature a multi-compound tread to enhance the performance characteristics. These are specifically engineered with a higher stiffness compound on the inside for improved braking performance, and a higher grip compound on the outside for improved cornering performance. The other four sizes (285 and wider, designed for the rear of the car) utilize a special new high-stiffness compound across the whole tread for improved cornering power and vehicle balance. Overall, this combination results in excellent all-round performance, and a reasonable UTQG tire wear rating of 240, so you won’t have to replace them every year like most maximum-performance tires.
On the street I found the Proxes 1 to be extremely quiet under all road surface types. The ride was smooth and velvety, which certainly helps when your daily driver is also your weekend warrior (when fitted with your R-compound wheel and tire setup). Grip levels were excellent for a non-R-compound, exhibiting a progressive breakaway, even in relatively cold conditions. Feedback through the steering wheel is very good too, one can truly feel the tires working under high-g corners. I played with the tire pressures (psi) +/- a pound or two from the manufacturer recommended specs to easily obtain my preferred level of feedback versus comfort that worked for my local road conditions. Overall, this is a fabulous new tire for the money, and we highly recommend getting a set on your street going European ride.
The new Proxes 1 are available now in 18- and 19-inch sizes that will fit select models of Audi, BMW, Ferrari, Jaguar, Mercedes-Benz, and Porsche. Watch for our full track testing of the Proxes 1 in our upcoming Project 996 Turbo project car series. —Doug Neilson
Proxes 1 Sizes:
235/40ZR18
245/40ZR18
265/40ZR18
295/35ZR18
235/35ZR19
255/35ZR19
255/40ZR19
285/35ZR19
295/30ZR19
305/30ZR19