Firestone firehawk indy 500 P205/55R16 91W
Does this tire fit your vehicle?
Tires are designed specifically for different vehicles and wheel sizes. Tell us about your vehicle or the specific size you want so we can help find the right tires for you.
The Firehawk Indy 500 is Firestone’s Ultra High Performance Summer tire developed for drivers of sports cars, sporty coupes and performance sedans who want to maximize sport driving pleasure through racing-inspired technology. The Firehawk Indy 500 is designed to deliver impressive performance in wet and dry conditions.
Like all summer tires, Firehawk Indy 500 tires are not intended to be driven in near-freezing temperatures, through snow or on ice.
The Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 uses a new, high-performance, silica-enhanced Long Link Carbon tread rubber compound molded into an aggressive-looking asymmetric tread design featuring large independent shoulder blocks designed to improve cornering and handling in dry conditions. The center circumferential groove features proprietary Pulse Groove Technology to enhance water evacuation, and combined with the new tread compound and two additional circumferential grooves, provides shorter stopping distances in the wet than its predecessor.
The tire’s internal structure features a high-turnup polyester casing (2 ply in some sizes) beneath twin high-tensile steel belts and nylon reinforcement to provide responsive handling, stability and high-speed capability.
Indy 500® is a registered trademark of Brickyard Trademarks, Inc., used with permission.
Vehicles Used
2017 BMW F36 430i Gran Coupe
The Ultra High Performance Summer category is populated by high-grip, sharp-handling tires with extroverted tread designs and aggressively good looks. Often, tires from the category are some of the highest-performing options available for older sports cars and other performance vehicles with rim diameters that are small by today’s standards. This relatively narrow scope means the category isn’t as large as the more mainstream options, so we look forward to new additions that promise to shake up the status quo and aim for the top of the charts. Fortunately for us, this time around we don’t just have one hot new product to test, we have two.
The G-MAX RS is General’s first foray into the Ultra High Performance Summer market, and they have no plans to simply dip their toe in the water because it’s their first time. With claims of class-leading dry handling, wet traction and tread life, they intend to make a big splash.
Falken has a long history of manufacturing Ultra High Performance Summer tires, and the Azenis FK510 is the latest in the line. With the benefit of all the lessons learned from its predecessors plus the newest in tire technology, Falken’s entry has serious potential.
To see how the General and Falken compare to the best in the class, the Tire Rack team conducted a Real World Road Ride and Performance Track Drive comparing them to the BFGoodrich g-Force Sport COMP-2 and Firestone Firehawk Indy 500. Our evaluation used 2017 BMW F36 430i sedans fitted with new, full tread depth 245/40R18 tires mounted on 18x8 wheels.
What We Learned on the Road
Our 6.0-mile loop of expressway, state highway and county roads provides a great variety of road conditions that include city and highway speeds, smooth and coarse concrete, as well as new and patched asphalt. This route allows our team to experience noise comfort, ride quality and everyday handling, just as you would during your drive to school or work.
The G-MAX RS was our team’s top pick overall in the Road Ride portion of the test. Quick steering response with light resistance meant it felt eager to change directions and gave the tire a sporty demeanor. With the taut ride of a performance tire, the G-MAX RS was firm, and a small amount of secondary motion after impacts made it feel somewhat unsettled. Tread noise was quite subdued for the category, leaving some light impact boom as the primary sound heard in the vehicle. Best-in-test light handling was the high point for the Firehawk Indy 500 and hinted at what our testers might experience on the track. The stiffest ride of the group and some mild and unobtrusive tread noise round out the Firestone’s on-road performance. The Azenis FK510 was the most likely of the group to fade into the background on the daily commute. The Falken’s ride did the best job of isolating the vehicle from impacts, but a continued resonance after the initial bump felt slightly unrefined. Sound quality was agreeable, with the tread creating some white noise that is appropriate for the category. Light handling was a relative weak spot for the Azenis FK510, though, due to a dead spot that made the steering feel numb on-center and made it more difficult to be precise with inputs. The BFGoodrich g-Force Sport COMP-2 rounds out the group, with a performance highlighted by noticeable tread growl over all surfaces and some tread slap over expansion joints and similar road imperfections. The ride was taut but not overly firm, and the steering had a nice weight and a direct feel.
What We Learned on the Test Track
Our 1/3-mile per lap test track course includes 90-degree street corners, a five-cone slalom and simulated expressway ramps. Run in both dry and wet conditions, the test track allows our team to experience the traction, responsiveness, handling and drivability normally only encountered during abrupt emergency avoidance maneuvers or competition events.
Previous testing has shown the Firehawk Indy 500 is an impressive performer in the dry, and this round was no different. With ultra-quick steering response and an authoritative front end, small inputs were all that was required to dive down to the apex, and strong lateral grip made it easy to hold the intended line. A tendency toward oversteer meant abrupt inputs could step out the tail, but the tire really rewarded a disciplined driver. As a new product in our lineup, we didn’t have any expectations for the Azenis FK510, and we were pleasantly surprised by average lap times that were tied with the Firestone. While our top drivers could set faster times in the Firestone, the Falken was more easily maximized by the majority of the team. Handling balance that was almost completely neutral with a slight lean toward understeer meant the vehicle felt planted through turns and transitions alike, allowing the driver to confidently push it to the limit, and test-leading braking slowed the vehicle with authority. The g-Force Sport COMP-2 had a nicely-balanced set of skills, with all aspects of its performance in proportion. What held it back somewhat was that it had less outright grip than its competitors. It was easy and enjoyable to drive but didn’t give the driver quite as much to work with. The G-MAX RS felt a little less sorted on the track than the other three tires due primarily to handling behavior that wasn’t perfectly in sync. The front end was reasonably responsive to inputs, but there was a palpable delay between the initial response and when the tire completed the driver’s command. Combined with a tendency to yaw the rear end, it created an overall package that was fun to slide around the course but didn’t come off as a sharp instrument for track use.
Sometimes testing in the wet seems to completely change a tire’s personality. A composed and balanced partner in the dry can become a twitchy, nervous mount in the wet, and the opposite can be true, as well. With this group, though, the personalities remained the same, and they were magnified by the lower traction level of the wet surface.
The G-MAX RS was our team’s subjective favorite. Useful grip combined with the slightly slow response to inputs meant it never felt like the front would overpower the rear in transitions or in steady-state cornering, though its tendency to yaw meant the tail would step out in a controllable fashion if too much throttle was applied too early during corner exit. With the top numbers in every category, the Azenis FK510 was the objective leader of the group. The same balance we found in the dry was present in the wet, and the Falken felt confident and planted while turning, braking and accelerating. Taking a considerable step back from the General and Falken, the Firehawk Indy 500 had enough traction for a daily driver, but it was challenging to maximize at speed, and the quick reflexes we praised in the dry became frustrating in the wet. When grip is relatively low, it’s best to use slow, deliberate inputs to maintain balance and avoid upsetting the vehicle, but “slow” and “deliberate” aren’t exactly in the Firestone’s repertoire. The result is a constant back-and-forth from under the limit to over the limit, as it was difficult to find the limit and stay there. Add in the tire’s inherent nature toward oversteer, and it was a bit of a handful when pushed. The g-Force Sport COMP-2 was on the other end of the spectrum. Its limits were lower than the rest of the group, but it communicated that fact from the beginning. The driver could quickly learn where the limits were, and easily drive on the edge for an entire lap. Just like in the dry, no single characteristic dominated the performance, so the overall character was balanced and smooth.
Fuel Consumption Results
Our Real World Road Ride features a relatively flat 6.0-mile loop of 65 mph expressway, 55 mph state highway and 40 mph county roads along with three stop signs every lap. Our team drove each tire approximately 500 miles over the course of several days. Since we wanted to compare fuel consumption results that typical drivers would experience, our drivers were instructed to maintain the flow of traffic by running at the posted speed limits and sustain the vehicle’s speed using cruise control whenever possible. They did not use hypermiling techniques to influence vehicle fuel economy.
Tire Test MPG* Gallons/Year
@ 15,000 Miles % vs. Most Efficient
BFGoodrich g-Force Sport COMP-2 28.7 522.6 -2.4%
Falken Azenis FK510 29.3 511.9 -0.3%
Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 28.9 519.0 -1.7%
General G-MAX RS 29.4 510.2 —
*Our evaluation used Race Technology DL1 data loggers to record true distance travelled.
Fuel economy is typically a pretty low consideration when comparing Ultra High Performance Summer tires, and within this group, we found a small difference in observed mileage, with a .7-mile per gallon disparity between our lowest and highest observed fuel economy. This difference would result in an additional 12.4 gallons of premium gasoline used per year for a vehicle driven 15,000 miles annually.
It’s important to note our test’s fuel consumption measurements follow consistent procedures designed to minimize variables that could influence the results; however, they do not represent an exhaustive long-range fuel consumption study. While our procedures require the test vehicles in each convoy to run under the same prevailing conditions, the week-to-week differences in ambient temperatures, barometric pressures and wind speeds that we experience over a season of testing can influence vehicle fuel consumption and prevent the absolute mpg values of this test from being compared directly against those of others.
Larger differences in consumption between tires may indicate a difference that might be experienced on the road, while smaller differences should be considered equivalent. As they say, your mileage may vary.
Summary
The results speak for themselves, but it’s safe to say the two new tires in our test make great additions to the Ultra High Performance Summer category. Increasing the number of high-quality options available benefits drivers and brings attention to this sometimes-overlooked category, so we would call that a win-win.
The General G-MAX RS is a capable all-around performer, with reassuring traction in the wet, agreeable and category-appropriate manners on the road and strong, if not completely sorted, dry track performance. Best-in-test objective numbers in the wet and dry lap times that are tied for first are highlights for the Falken Azenis FK510. The on-road behavior is satisfactory, but the ride and light handling could use a little more refinement. The Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 is the athlete of the group, feeling poised and alert on the dry track and the road, but the stiff ride and nervous handling in the wet hurt its overall standings. The BFGoodrich g-Force Sport COMP-2 is a good tire that is showing its age in light of the newer competition. First-rate steering feel and a controlled ride are overshadowed by intrusive tread and impact noise, and the nicely balanced and composed demeanor on the track is outweighed by a small deficit in dry traction and a sizable shortage in the wet.
Product Details
BFGoodrich g-Force Sport COMP-2 (Ultra High Performance Summer): As BFGoodrich’s Ultra High Performance Summer tire developed for the drivers of sports cars, sporty coupes, performance sedans and modern muscle cars looking for the next level of control and fun, the g-Force Sport COMP-2 is designed to accelerate faster, corner harder and brake shorter in dry and wet conditions. However, like all summer tires, it is not intended to be driven in near-freezing temperatures, through snow or on ice. Read more.
Falken Azenis FK510 (Ultra High Performance Summer): The Azenis FK510 is Falken’s Ultra High Performance Summer tire developed for the drivers of sports cars, sporty coupes, performance sedans and modern muscle cars who want dry and wet traction and handling in a refined package. The Azenis FK510 is designed to deliver driver confidence in warm conditions, so like all Ultra High Performance Summer tires, it is not intended to be serviced, stored nor driven in near- and below-freezing temperatures, through snow or on ice. Read more.
Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 (Ultra High Performance Summer): The Firehawk Indy 500 is Firestone’s Ultra High Performance Summer tire developed for drivers of sports cars, sporty coupes and performance sedans who want to maximize sport driving pleasure through racing-inspired technology. The Firehawk Indy 500 is designed to deliver impressive performance in wet and dry conditions. Read more.
General G-MAX RS (Ultra High Performance Summer): The G-MAX RS is General’s Ultra High Performance Summer tire designed for the drivers of performance sedans, modern muscle cars, sports cars and sporty coupes looking for bold performance in warm, dry and wet conditions. Like all summer tires, the G-MAX RS is not intended to be driven, stored nor serviced in near- or below-freezing temperatures, through snow or on ice. Read more.
https://www.20555r16.net/firestone-firehawk-indy-500-p205-55-r16-91w-2
