TEST DRIVE: Goodyear Eagle F1 Directional 5

MANILA, Philippines - The makers of the award-winning line of Eagle F1 ultra-high-performance (UHP) tires have taken style and control to a new level with the Goodyear Eagle F1 Directional 5. Designed for enthusiasts who want both looks and performance for their aftermarket-tuned sports sedans and coupes, the Eagle F1 Directional 5 fits perfectly into the mid-UHP (ultra-high-performance) segment. (Sizes range from 15 to 18 inches, so if you need bigger sizes, say 19- or 20-inchers for a Porsche or M-series BMW, you’d need to get the range-topping Goodyear Eagle F1 GS-D3 or RS Sport tires.)

I tested the Directional 5—size 205/45R-17, with an SRP of P8,276 (dealer prices will vary and will most likely be lower)—on a 1.6-liter front-wheel drive sedan with the tires inflated to test pressures of 32 psi. On the dry, the tires, which boast Goodyear’s latest SportGrip technology, provided excellent steering response and cornering grip. Cornering limits can be approached with full confidence. The tires won’t break away until you’re going insanely—and illegally—fast. Not that we did that. Besides, almost all front-wheel-drive cars will just understeer when you take a corner too fast.  

The new directional tread pattern looks sleek and cutting-edge. (It even has the Goodyear name incorporated on the center rib section of the tread—cool.) It does, however, fall short of the bold kick-ass unidirectional tread patterns of its GS-D3 or RS Sport siblings.

The Directional 5’s, uhm, directional tread design, does perform an awesome job in wet conditions, providing maximum water dispersion for confidence-inspiring cornering and braking on wet roads. I should know, as I spent an unnervingly long time on soaking wet roads during the monsoon-stricken week we had early August.

A combination of a solid center rib and continuous shoulder rib with high-weight polymers and a race-inspired rubber compound provide maximum rigidity to the tread design, reducing the tread’s deformation under heavy g forces that occur during quick steering transitions and heavy cornering—all resulting in enhanced steering response and cornering power as well as precise handling and outstanding grip on various types of surfaces and conditions.

Goodyear claims that the Eagle F1 Directional 5 outperforms its multi-awarded predecessor in handling and braking on wet and dry surfaces, with a marked improvement in wet braking performance. A closed shoulder design, meanwhile, helps provide better wear pattern over time to reduce overall noise emissions, a trait common among UHP tires as their wear increases. All these might not matter to the everyday motorist, but they’re the Holy Grail for the car enthusiast.

THE HIGHS

• surprisingly high levels of comfort despite the

 low profile

• tremendous traction

• gives lots of feedback even at moderate driving

THE LOWS

• pricey

THE VERDICT

Easily the aftermarket part which will deliver the single biggest improvement in your car’s performance