Contact Patch: Yokohama Parada Spec-2

"Turn off the traction control, step on it and throw it sideways in the middle of the turn," Les ordered, in his quest for the ultimate action shot. Photos of a car crossed up or being tossed sideways might show driving prowess, but that's not the best way around a corner. In fact, a corner well executed is photographically boring. One thing was clear to me as I sat behind the wheel. With lots of rubber on the road, a highly competent suspension and a solid chassis, I really didn't want to be around when the car let go--which would have been in a big way.

That thought occurred to me again as my brain squashed to one side of my skull while I negotiated an outside pass on a tight cloverleaf in my New Beetle. Recently shod with Yokohama's Spec-2 Parada performance radials, the car was on the ragged edge, and though it wouldn't have made Bidrawn pick up his camera, from my vantage point it was quite a dramatic moment. And the best part was the Yokes didn't let go.

The Spec-2 Parada takes square aim at the tuner car market and will be available in most applicable sizes. At face value, this might seem to be a simple task, what with CAD, computers and electronic magic, except that the Spec-2 was designed from the ground up as an ultra-low-aspect-ratio tire.

european car readers might remember Kevin Clemens' tome on tire technology and the notion that it isn't air that supports the weight of the car but the casing of the tire, which acts in a spoke-like manner from the top down. For this reason, Yokohama engineers worked on strengthening the sidewalls to offer higher load capacity in low-profile sizes and also to improve steering response.

I suspect that none of this matters to a typical kid playing around with his rice rocket, but what does matter is appearance, and the Spec-2 Parada offers a singular looking chunk of rubber. The defining characteristics are the large diagonal blocks that lay more rubber on the road in a race-slick fashion, but not, of course, to that extreme.

Now back to the practical. Those who drive in Southern California can't help but notice that many of the concrete roadways have surprisingly deep grooves, not to mention the numerous fractures, expansion joints and bad repairs. This array of surface irregularities will grab certain tires and even wrest the wheel from someone driving light-handed. I used to think that Editor Brown was crazy for his incessant bitching about performance tires and grooves, until I started suffering the same commute. The point of this is this new Parada's large diagonal blocks do not readily fall into the grooves and are relatively unruffled by rough pavement of any sort.

Wet-weather performance? There's not a drop of rain in sight as I write this, nor has there been any in months. Given a chance, I'd like to try the Spec-2 in the rain, where its new silica compound and S-shaped grooves are said to offer grip and braking abilities superior to its competition. The dry handling, however, rocks.

In the time since I bought my Beetle, I've had the occasion to drive it with a number of different setups. The first was bone stock. I didn't succumb to the dealer-induced euphoria of seeing a New Beetle decked out in Porsche wheels and fat meats under the wheelwells. This was a self-financed car, and I was going to keep it as reasonable as possible.

Secondly, I had the occasion to inherit a set of new ATP Italia wheels measuring 7x17 and shod with Bridgestone S02s. This plus-one setup only served to magnify the suspension's softness, which was designed with the average buyer in mind. The car felt out of balance with the wheels and seemed to bounce on the soft springs and shocks as the tires held their tenacious grip on the pavement.

The next step was a full suspension by Eibach. While the Beetle was at Autobahn Designs for a makeover, I had the chance to drive one of its employee's cars that was suspension tuned by Eibach. I was amazed that such a good handling kit could also offer a nice ride. I'd driven many different suspensions on the VW A4 chassis, from home-brewed compilations to full coilover setups. Most of these other cars handled worse than the Eibach Pro Kit, one or two perhaps handled better, but none could match the balance of and poise of Eibach's newest offering. It's a perfect fit for a car I drive 75 miles each day during the week.

I drove on this particular setup until the tires had worn down to the wear bars, so I was then faced with the prospect of driving a modified suspension on stock wheels and tires. I did this for several months and was struck by a different set of circumstances. The taut suspension, now dealing with taller, narrower rubber designed for the long haul instead of sporty driving, wasn't as bad as expected. With the stiffer suspension, and the rear modified further by a larger bar, the New Beetle oversteered as the tires fought for purchase. Those antics soon grew old, and it was again time for some serious rubber.

The Spec-2 is designed with the tuner in mind, demonstrated by its offering of sizes. It's an excellent choice for those seeking an ultra-high-performance tire. For those looking for a more affordable performance tire, Yokohama has another model coming down the pike soon.

Yokohama Tire Corp.
601 S. Acacia.
Fullerton, CA 92831
(800)722-9888
www.yokohamatire.com