Reply to "17" Tires: Options getting fewer & and your opinion on 285/40/17 size?"

Update on 17" tire choices. Earlier this year Kumho announced a new Extreme Performance Summer tire, the ECSTA V720, but did not say what sizes would be available. They are now available at TireRack and the news is not good. They are only available (at least currently) in six sizes, the two largest of which are 245/40/17 and 245/40/18.
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/...partnum=245WR7V720XL
It seems unlikely that they would design a new tire and only produce 6 sizes so I searched for any info on possible additional sizes but didn't find any.

There is some good news for fans of the ECSTA XS which have been discontinued. Although the 315/35/17 size seems to be unavailable everywhere I looked, the guy I chatted with at TR said they are expecting one last shipment in June and there will be a very limited number. If you have to have them, you can pre-order them and they will be reserved for you when they arrive (assuming you are near the front of the line). The matching 235/40/17 size is still listed as available, but who knows if they will be in June.

I also asked his opinion of the Conti Extremecontact DW in the 285/40/17 size and told him that I didn't have any "Track Time" planned. He said that was an excellent choice for HP street use. Their price is $174 while the 245/40/17s are $126. There is quite a selection of other suitable large sizes in the 18, 19 and 20" sizes.
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/...DW&partnum=84WR7ECDW

The Kumho ECSTA SPT is also available in the 285/40/17 size with the matching front of either 215 or 225/45/17. Both will work with 8" rims and are 24.6 and 25" dia respectively.
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/...PT&partnum=84WR7KU31