Product Review: Cooper Tire Cooper Zeon RS3-G1
As enthusiasts, we know that tires are one of the most important changes you can make to your vehicle. No other modification will have such a dramatic effect on acceleration, braking, cornering and stability like tires. With that said, Cooper Tire reached out and asked if we would be interested in testing a set of their latest and greatest: the Cooper Zeon RS3-G1. I jumped at the opportunity before any of my compatriots could even register what had happened. And so it was, a week later, I had a set of the Cooper Zeon RS3-G1 sitting before my front door.
Let’s Talk About the Cooper Zeon RS3-G1
The Cooper Zeon RS3-G1 is an ultra-high performance all-season tire with performance characteristics similar to a summer performance tire. The name is derived from the fact that these tires can sustain over 1G of cornering grip. In class, the RS3-G1 goes up against the likes of the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S3 and the Continental DWS. However, when it came time to benchmark their tires against the competition, Cooper Tire name dropped a big time player: the Michelin Pilot Super Sport. Having driven several vehicles equipped with the “MPSS,” I was a bit dubious of their claims. However, Cooper did quite a bit of track testing with the RS3-G1.
After getting the RS3-G1 mounted to my wheels, and allowing for some break-in mileage, I put them to the test. As car enthusiasts, the mountain roads just outside of Los Angeles are a haven from the drudgery of commuting. I have wheeled everything from rental cars to open-wheel racers on semi-slicks through the canyons. With that said, the Cooper tires were a pleasant surprise when the road got twisty. The sidewalls felt firm, providing positive steering response. I won’t name names, but compared to some of the competition, that sidewall stiffness is a godsend, and results in a much more confident ride. Having confidence in the tires allowed me to comfortably push the car harder without the fear of getting slapped on the wrist once the limits of grip had been found. The folks at Cooper Tire weren’t far off the mark when name dropping the Michelin Pilot Super Sports.
What is the Secret to the Cooper Zeon RS3-G1’s Performance?
Digging through the technical specifications, it seems that when formulating the RS3-G1 tire compound, the engineers at Cooper increased silica content by 7% from it’s predecessor, the RS3-A. The right compound mix of rubber and silica can result in a tire with excellent grip and durability characteristics. If you read up on the current crop of high-performance summer rubber, you will inevitably find tire manufacturers touting high silica content as a feature.
Looking beyond the compound is the actual design of the tire. It uses a 5-rib design, and take special notice the outer tread block. The “shoulder” of the tire is the broadest tread block, and the simplest in design. Under high-G cornering, the shoulder is getting worked the hardest out of any part of the tire. With that broad design, heat is better able to be dispersed across the width of the tire, allowing for more consistent performance. The inside rib is deeply channeled and relies heavily on siping to more efficiently dispel water. In dry conditions, the inside edge isn’t getting worked as hard, so it makes sense to “compromise” that rib for better wet weather performance. That all-weather versatility was greatly appreciated this past month as California experienced serious rainfall. The tires were not bothered by standing water and offered more than sufficient stability in wet cornering.
Consider us sold on the Cooper Zeon RS3-G1 tires.
If you would like to read up on Cooper Tires and the Cooper Zeon RS3-G1 tires, check out their website here. Many thanks to Cooper Tires for supplying me with a set of the RS3-G1 tires to test.
