Dunlop SP Sport Maxx RT 2 Review — NZ Road Test and Test Data

Overall Rating: 9.2 / 10

Category: Ultra High Performance (UHP) Summer Tyre

Price in NZ: From $598 per tyre

Best for: High-performance sports cars, sports sedans, enthusiast driving

Available sizes: 17″ – 21″ rims

Quick Verdict

The Dunlop SP Sport Maxx RT 2 is Dunlop’s most advanced road tyre and one of the most precision-focused UHP tyres available in New Zealand. Its signature technology — a Multi-Cell Compound with microscopic sponge-like cells in the rubber — creates a unique wet braking mechanism that actively draws water out of the contact patch during braking. The RT 2 is OEM on Audi RS4/RS5, BMW M2/M3, and Mercedes-AMG C63 — prestigious fitments that confirm its engineering credentials. In independent European tests, it consistently ranks at the top of dry handling scores. At $598 per tyre, it is priced at a premium — but the RT 2 justifies this through genuine test performance and exceptional dry handling precision.

Key Specifications

Multi-Cell Compound — The Technology That Sets the RT 2 Apart

The SP Sport Maxx RT 2’s defining technology is unique in the tyre industry. Traditional rubber compounds use solid polymer chains. Dunlop’s Multi-Cell Compound engineers millions of microscopic voids — cells — into the rubber matrix.

How it works:

When the tyre contacts a wet road surface under braking:

1. The rubber deforms under braking pressure
2. The micro-cells collapse, creating a suction effect
3. Water is drawn away from the contact patch and into the tyre’s grooves
4. The contact patch maintains more direct rubber-to-road contact

The result: The Multi-Cell Compound effectively creates a secondary water evacuation mechanism beyond the tread grooves — particularly effective in the final few metres of a braking stop, when groove drainage becomes less effective. This explains why the RT 2 tends to perform exceptionally well in head-to-head wet braking comparisons.

Performance Test Data

Wet Performance

• Wet braking: Consistently top 3 in European UHP wet braking tests — the Multi-Cell Compound delivers measurable advantage in heavy rain conditions
• Wet handling: Top-rated in multiple independent programmes for wet cornering balance
• Aquaplaning resistance: Strong — wide circumferential grooves combined with Multi-Cell suction keep the tyre planted in standing water
• EU Label A wet grip: Maximum rating across most sizes

Dry Performance

• Dry braking: Competitive with class leaders — typically within 1 metre of the best in independent tests
• Dry handling: Where the RT 2 truly excels. Consistently ranked top 3 in dry handling across European test programmes
• StreetResponse 2 technology: Wider contact patch, stiffer centre rib, optimised tread block geometry — combines for outstanding dry steering precision
• Driver engagement: Universally praised for communicative, precise steering feel — Dunlop’s motorsport heritage is most apparent in dry handling

OEM Test Context

When Audi, BMW, and Mercedes-AMG select a tyre as OEM fitment for their performance models, the tyre has been through exhaustive validation testing:

• Wet braking and handling at the manufacturer’s proving grounds
• High-speed stability testing above 200 km/h
• Durability under sustained high-load driving

The RT 2 passing all three manufacturers’ requirements confirms performance that marketing cannot fabricate.

NZ Road Conditions Assessment

Auckland and North Island — Verdict: Excellent

The RT 2’s EU Label A wet grip and multi-cell wet braking advantage are directly relevant to Auckland’s frequent, heavy rain. On Auckland’s motorway network and suburban chipseal, the tyre’s wet braking precision provides a real safety margin over lesser UHP options. The tyre’s strong dry handling is also valued on Auckland’s tight motorway on-ramps and winding coastal roads north of the city.

For BMW M2/M3, Audi RS3/RS4, Mercedes-AMG A45/C63 owners in Auckland — the RT 2 is the natural OEM-quality replacement tyre. It maintains the precision these vehicles were engineered to deliver.

Wellington — Verdict: Excellent

Wellington’s combination of motorway speeds and constant rain is the RT 2’s native environment. The multi-cell wet braking advantage is most pronounced at motorway stopping speeds (100+ km/h) — exactly the conditions Wellington drivers face on SH1 and the Hutt Valley expressway.

South Island — Verdict: Good (coastal areas)

Summer compound — optimal above 7°C. In Nelson, Marlborough, and coastal Canterbury, excellent year-round. For alpine areas (Queenstown, Central Otago, alpine Canterbury) — the compound’s cold-weather performance is limited. South Island alpine drivers should consider the Dunlop SP Sport Maxx 060 Plus (broader temperature range) or a dedicated all-season option.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Multi-Cell Compound delivers a genuine, patented wet braking advantage
• Consistently top-3 dry handling in European independent tests
• EU Label A wet grip
• OEM on Audi RS4/RS5, BMW M2/M3, AMG C63 — highest engineering endorsement
• StreetResponse 2 technology: precise, communicative steering at the limit
• Excellent dry lap time performance — the choice for drivers who also track their cars

Cons

• EU Label C fuel efficiency — higher rolling resistance than Michelin (Label B) costs in fuel economy
• Premium price ($598+) — more expensive than Michelin Pilot Sport 5 ($426+) and Pirelli P Zero PZ5 ($447+)
• Road noise (71–73 dB) slightly higher than comfort-oriented UHP rivals like the Goodyear Eagle F1 A5
• Not available in all sizes as NZ stock — some fitments require ordering

How It Compares

Choose the RT 2 if: You drive an Audi RS, BMW M, or AMG and want OEM-aligned performance with the industry’s most advanced wet compound. Choose Continental SC7 if: Wet braking test wins matter more than brand alignment. Choose Michelin PS4S if: Tread life is your primary long-term value concern.

Available Sizes in NZ

Where to Buy in NZ

• Tyroola NZ — tyroola.co.nz — From $598 ea
• Hyper Drive — hyperdrive.co.nz — 250+ fitting locations
• Dunlop authorised dealers — dunlop.co.nz

Sources

1. Dunlop — SP Sport Maxx RT 2 product data and Multi-Cell Compound explanation — dunlop.eu
2. tyrereviews.com — Dunlop SP Sport Maxx RT 2 ratings — accessed 2026-05-31
3. Tyroola NZ pricing — tyroola.co.nz/tyre/dunlop/ — accessed 2026-05-31
4. OEM fitment data — Audi, BMW, Mercedes-AMG press materials

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