LS1TECH - Camaro and Firebird Forum Discussion

Camaro and Firebird: High Performance Tire Reviews

If you’re in the market for high performance tires, do your homework to determine which brand is right for your vehicle. Read on to learn more about three popular brands.

By Jeffrey Bausch - March 14, 2016

This article applies to the Chevrolet Camaro and Firebird (1990-2015).

Adding high performance tires to your Camaro or Firebird is a great way to not only give your prized vehicle a nice new look, but also give it an upgrade in performance. High performance tires are specially designed to have better control/traction on dry roads. Largely geared toward the sports car owner/driving enthusiast, it’s a popular niche industry with plenty of options to choose from. Below are three of the more popular tires among Camaro and Firebird owners, complete with opinions on how each tire performs.

High Performance Tires
Nitto Invo
Sumitomo HTR (Z, ZII, ZIII)
Dunlop Direzza Star Spec
Price
 $150-600 $100-150 $115-300
Size
 66 sizes 26 sizes 27 sizes
Performance
 Superb Excellent Good
Lifespan
 Average Longer than average Average
Warranty
 Replacement based on degree of damage Replacement issued if defect is present 65K mile, limited
Best Quality: Nitto Invo

Best Value: Sumitomo

Nitto Invo

Price – $150-600 per tire

Size –66 sizes

Performance –Superb

Lifespan –Wear at an average rate

Warranty –Upon examination of an eligible tire, if Nitto® determines that the tire(s) is not serviceable due to a condition covered by this Workmanship and Materials Limited Warranty, it will be replaced with a comparable new Nitto® brand tire based on varying degrees of damage severity.

Nitto prides itself in this particular line of tire because it was specially designed with high-end technology to create better control and performance than its competition. A summary of the tire’s performance is as follows:

Reviewers state these tires perform well on dry and wet surfaces, but not well in snowy conditions. They grip the road surface well, and drivers report overall comfort in handling. Low-noise is oft-cited as a plus with these tires, and they tend to wear at an average rate.

Sumitomo HTR (Z, ZII, and ZIII)

Price – $100-150 per tire

Size – 26 sizes

Performance – Excellent

Lifespan – Longer than average

Warranty – Any HTRZ tire that becomes unserviceable due to a defect in workmanship or materials during the first 50% of the original usable tread will be replaced free of charge. During the second 50% of the original usable tread, such tires will be replaced on a pro-rated basis if removed from service only due to workmanship related defects.

Sumitomo's Ultra High Performance tires are specially developed for the drivers of sports cars and are meant to be driven during warm months and in dry weather. A summary of the tire’s performance is as follows:

These tires handle dry and wet surfaces adequately, but should not be used in snowy/icy conditions. Overall, they do a fine job in terms of handling. Drivers report general comfort driving with them. Low noise and average tread wear are additional features worth pointing out.

Dunlop Direzza Star Spec

Price – $150-300

Size – 27 sizes

Performance – Good

Lifespan – Average

Warranty – 65,000-mile, limited

Dunlop's Direzza Star Spec tires are marketed as high-end sport car tires designed using the latest in cutting-edge manufacturing technology. Advertising messages aside, these are reviewed as middle-of-the-road tires. A summary of the tire’s performance is as follows:

Dunlop Direzza Star Spec tires look great on a Camaro, but they do not perform as well as competing brands. They're best used on dry surfaces, with caution on wet roadways, and certainly never during colder months when snow/ice is a factor. Overall, they're simply okay, with drivers reporting general comfort with them, some noise, and average treadwear.

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