Toyo Tires Celebrates the PROXES Anniversary at the Essen Motor Show

A milestone for performance, innovation and passion has been reached this year by the renowned Proxes tire model range from the Japanese premium manufacturer Toyo Tires. In 2026, the Toyo Tires Proxes product family brand celebrates its 35th anniversary. Since its introduction, this product family has been synonymous worldwide with excellent grip, precise handling and good design — both in motorsport and on the road.

What distinguishes the Proxes range?

The history and also 2 race cars of Toyo Tires will be displayed at the exhibition booth in hall3.

On 210m² Toyo will present the PROXES motorsport slick and the high performance tires, PROXES Sport2, PROXES Comfort.

All tires have the Focus on performance: Higher grip at high speeds, short braking distances and direct steering response.

Typical vehicles: Sports cars, tuned vehicles, high-performance saloons or sporty SUVs.

Origin of the Name “PROXES”

The name PROXES is derived from “PROXEMICS,” the study of the relationship between people and their surrounding environment. It is a coined word created from this concept.

A well-known Proxes variant within the otherwise sporty family:

is the Proxes Comfort passenger car/SUV summer tire, which, exceptionally, does not stand for sportiness like the other members of its family, but for comfort — for comfortable driving in everyday urban traffic.

The history of the Proxes product family: from 1991 to today, 2026

When Toyo Tires launched the Proxes line three and a half decades ago, the objective was clearly defined:

to develop high-performance tires that would not only meet the ever-increasing demands of modern sports cars and tuning enthusiasts, but fulfil them perfectly.

1990s – Breakthrough in the scene: With distinctive tread-design classics such as the Proxes T1S and later, in 2005, the legendary Proxes T1R, the brand conquered the international tuning and sports car scene with sporty summer tires. The tires impressed with their aggressive look, distinctive design and strong grip. Its successor, the Proxes TR1, remains popular in the tuning scene to this day.

2000s – The birth of track-day legends: With the development of the Proxes R888, Toyo Tires set new standards in the semi-slick segment. Its successor, the Proxes R888R, was widely used by motorsport enthusiasts and club-sport racing drivers as a benchmark tire. A successor will be launched shortly, matching its predecessors in performance and tradition while adding an extra level of performance on top.

The modern era – ultra-high performance for everyday use: With the current sporty top summer tire model, the Proxes Sport 2, Toyo Tires bridges the gap between its advanced Nano Balance rubber compound and maximum driving dynamics.

Although this tire is a sporty passenger car/SUV summer road tire, the experience gained on the racetrack was also incorporated directly into the development of this road tire.

Motorsport in its blood, innovation in its DNA

The name “Proxes” also stands for “Professional” and “Excellence.” The Proxes model range has always served Toyo Tires as a driver of innovation. Technologies tested under extreme conditions in racing, such as the NLS or the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring, flow directly into the series development of road tires.

“35 years of Proxes stand for 35 years full of passion for driving. The Proxes product series is continuously developed further without forgetting its roots: the high performance in driving, grip and maximum control are creating positive emotions to the driver. We would like to thank drivers and car enthusiasts worldwide for their trust over three and a half decades.”

Looking ahead: research and development

Even after 35 years, the Proxes family is not standing still. In the age of electric mobility and renewable, sustainable materials, Toyo Tires is consistently developing the model range further with noise-optimised tread structures, lower rolling resistance while maintaining a consistently high level of grip, and the use of recycled raw materials to shape the future of the performance line for the decades ahead.

About Toyo Tires

Toyo Tire Corporation is one of the big Japanese tire manufacturers worldwide. For decades, the company has developed high-performance tires for passenger cars, SUVs, commercial vehicles and motorsport. Toyo Tires stands for Japanese engineering, high product quality and continuous innovation which has it’s evidence in tire test results.