Tyres: An old topic but a new question

[Jh72i]

I think its new anyway.

When I bought my first RCZ I read all of 'RCZ-R' members exploits and, in particular, liked a post about the tyres he had lived through. I'm in a similar situation now after buying an RCZ R last month and having a very similar experience to the first time about - namely, when changing from the winter tyres (bought both cars in winter) to summer, I am disappointed with the amount of cabin noise from the wheels.

I had been waiting for the old summer tyres to get to justifiable replacement levels but sold it before that happened (the really dumb fact here is that I actually replaced the winter tyres, €€, a couple of weeks before finding the RCZR).

And now, although tbh I have plenty of thread left on the Eagle F1s, I am really tempted to splash out. I have also experienced that bumping/grinding hard lock left situation (R on full lock &

) which turned out to be the tyres.

So, I've returned to the topic of Michelin Pilot Sport 4S 235/40 ZR19.

I have a couple of questions:

1. I cannot see that these come with 92Y rating so is anything sacrificed by using 96Y?
2. They do come in XL and XL NA0 version so what is the difference and has anybody an opinion?
3. Are these still considered the best option (controversial ) for RCZ Rs (I know there are loads to consider in terms of preference but this is daily driver that I like to have fun with on twisty roads)?
4. The road noise I would like to reduce (rather listen to the engine) but I'm not sure how much bearing the tyre selection has on this in an RCZ?!

as always, thanks for any input.

 

[RCZ-R]

Hi there,

Allow me to comment on your questions:

ad 1.
A higher load index won't hurt. Yes, the sidewall construction compared to a 92 load index might be a bit "stiffer". But that is not 100% given the small difference in load index between 92 and 96. With 96 you have a higher safety margin when fully loaded + at high speeds (if that has any relevance to the place where you live)

ad 2.
The NA0 spec is for Porsche. I would not order a Porsche-spec tyre for the RCZ R. Take the version without NA0 spec

ad 3.
I would still hold to what I have experienced and described here on the forum. Those 4s are indeed great tyres. But there are also new Goodyear tyres out on the market which also proved to be great (Assymetric 5 or the Eagle Supersport, if available in R's sizes). I personally would still opt for the Michelins as they provide multiple benefits like, braking distance in dry and wet, overall grip also in cold temperatures, low wear, etc.

ad 4.
The road noise with the 4s is very low. There are but other tyres which are less noisy, e.g. the Pilot 4 (without the "s"). The Pilot4 was significantly less noisy then the 4s when I drove them on my R. And still the Pilot 4 offers plenty of grip in wet and dry. But not as ferocious grip and confidence levels as the 4s does.
So it comes to the conclusion what is more important to you and your daily driving, the very upmost grip levels combined with a comfy sport tyre in the form of the Pilot 4s or a bit more comfort, less noise, more pliancy over bumps and edges but less grip in very high corner speeds in the form of the Pilot 4.
I went for the 4s as I valued grip over all other factors.

 

[Jh72i]

Wow, I am so impressed with this reply. All my questions answered & by the very RCZR owner(former, right?) that I have stalked on this forum
Thank you!

 

[RCZ-R]

Glad I could be of any help.
Let's wait for the others to comment as well.

 

[Kerr]

My R had Continental Sport contact 96y when I bought it. Once those tyres were worn I went Goodyear Eagle AS2 92y. I'm now on Michelin Pilot 4s 96y.

I think the slightly stiffer sidewall makes the car steering feel better.

The 4s is much grippier too. It's an impressive tyre

 

[Jh72i]

Thanks Kerr. I'm totally convinced now. About the tyres. About the spend I still need to motivate myself

 

[RCZ-R]

Michelin did not stop the development of the Pilot Sport 4 tyres family.
Meanwhile they offer different versions of the same tyre, so you can pick an Acoustic version of the PS4 (not the PS4s), or a specifically branded version for Peugeots (S1 version, here I assume this is the version of the Pilot Sport 4 they put on the 508 GT).
The PS4 will provide more daily comfort while still retaining a lot of sportiness and limits for the spirited drive on the weekends, where the PS4s put the focus on precision, grip and handling when on limit.
When nitpicking I'd say the PS4s lacks a bit on the precision part. There is a slight delay in translating the steering impulse into movement. I was able to turn that slight disadvantage into a playful thing by opening the steering a bit earlier on corner's exit. This allowed me to accelerate earlier out of the corner albeit my brain still wanting to hold to the steering angle.
But this is really nitpicking on a very high level. Even if you push the R to 90% of its capacity (which means, a lot for the public roads) you will not suffer from this effect. It only plays a role when on the race track. But then again, when on race track why not put the Michelin Cup2 on the R instead?

The improvements Michelin gained with the PS4 family of tyres are huge compared to the PSS, the PS2 or the not-so-good PS3. I wonder what the upcoming PS5 is going to be like.