The situation as I understand it, is that there was a specific compound that nearly all the manufacturers used in their tyres that was identified as being somewhat 'nasty'
Not necessarily to the end users, but earlier on in the manufaacturing phase.

Hence the fact that nearly all rubber tyres have now changed to some extent. There's no question that they're different now.

Touring Car tyres on Minis? OK for mucking around, but it stuffs up the suspension geometry big time and the car handles like crap....