I have just got rid of my AO48's, second best mod I have done on my Lotus, after talking to Steve, Ross and Lee(SSC) their knowledge and experience saved me from making a costly mistake. I went with the Kumho Ecsta V70A and I am only a mug of a driver and I can feel the massive difference in the level of grip.
Now the sad part, I do my best to spend my money in WA or Australia, but if I am going to buy a set of tyres every 12/18 months, I would consider DemonTweeks. $1130.60, landed at my door, 6 days and that’s including a weekend.

Kumho Ecsta V70A Tyre - Demon Tweeks



Simply Sports Cars -Kumho ECSTA V700 tyres - Lotus- Lotus

__________________
Engineer brilliance, then
Add lightness

Mine has the standard ad07's at the moment, but I'm driving the demo while mine's in the shop which has the AO48's on. I'm gonna do a few events on the ad07's first, pending how that goes I might be after a second set of wheels and tyres for track work. Kumho's could be a goer, let us know how you are finding them after some miles and track work

Also agree with you on buying over seas, ill try my best to stay local but at the end of the day if I can get it cheaper elsewhere I will

I should have posted my reply here rather than clog up Dave's thread.

What width front wheel do the new S3 Elise S come with? The S2 Elise SC had 6" so i believe that limits you to a 195 width tyre. (i had these wheels fitted to my Rover S2 when i bought it). Only really 2 options that I've found which are 888 or a048's. I'm on my second set of 48's and they're ok but are harder and slower than the V70 or A050. But you can get them on special via Wheels World for <$1000 fitted and aligned if on special.

I'm planning to buy another set of wheels with the 6.5" front and run V70's as Pete suggests. Waiting to get beaten in my class at the Sprints first though!

The good thing about the wider fronts is it also allows you to run the Yoko AD08's if you want the best road/track tyre. The new AD08r looks interesting too.

Might even be 5.5inch on the front. Either way comes with 175's on it, I think 195 is the biggest you can go, the demo has 195 and they stick out a bit

Ad08r's look good, pricing is going to be the most interesting part.

Ill see how I go, at the moment there is a brand new set of ad07's on it so unless I find them really lacking I'll probably just get some k's done before I get something else