In case you’re wondering, “Influencers” are people in the performance car-building and tuning industry, car-forum moderators, car club leaders like PCA’s Vu Nguyen and racers from all disciplines such as drag, drift, off-road and road. There are 60 Michelin influencers nation-wide and 14 of us were invited to the first Tire School for Influencers in order to learn more than we already knew about their product.

As the motorsport editor for PorschePurist.com, track chairman and chief instructor for the Rally Sport Region of the PCA, and amateur championship winning Porsche racer I have spent my fair share of time around tires. I like Michelins enough to have them on all our vehicles (Porsche and otherwise), and apparently I am not alone; Michelin reportedly has the highest loyalty in the Original Equipment first time replace market.

What is the Michelin Tire School?

This was the first Michelin Tire School for Influencers (a shortened version of the 11 week school that many Michelin execs attend prior to their time in the office and in the field). The curriculum covered the building and construction of their tires, techniques unique to Michelin and their commitment to standing behind their product. In my opinion, the fact that Michelin let a group of vocal and passionate enthusiasts into the heart of their operations (the Training Center, Factory and on their test track) shows the level of confidence they have in their products.

Our visit started with a tour of US-1 in Greenville, SC (one of 29 worldwide production facilities). Our tour guide, “Tater,” was very knowledgeable about the belts, cords and tire compounds as well as every little detail about the factory and what it takes to run it. At the US-1 factory, Michelin produces between 24,000 to 26,000 tires a day. Despite the production volume, the racks, lifts and machines do not look cluttered or overburdened. Everything and everyone moves at a steady and focused pace. The machinery is almost all unique to Michelin.

While I would love to have posted pictures of what we saw on our tour, photographs were strictly forbidden in the plant as were cell phones and other personal items like jewelery and watches (quality control restrictions). As part of the Michelin quality process all visitors are required to suit up in special Michelin made work booth with Michelin rubber soles.

Michelin C3M Technology

One reason for all this security is perhaps Michelin’s biggest technical advantage, “C3M”. This secret manufacturing process gives tires “an innovative edge.” Today more than 20% of the Michelin Pilot line is made using the C3M process including all of the high performance tires a Porsche owners would consider. Rather than trying to explain what little is known about this super secretive technology we’ll give you a link to The Tire Rack who does a great job of explaining what they can. C3M allows Michelin to have a tremendous amount of structural consistency throughout the tire making it lighter and more stable; it also allows Michelin to weave different tread compounds onto one tire.

Sample Tread from the Michelin Tire School

The Michelin Pilot Super Sport Uses C3M

The Michelin Pilot Super Sport is another C3M tire with carbon black (an additive that increases tear resistance and abrasion strength on rubber derived from the Le Mans winning slick racing tires) on the outer tread. The tire has incredible wet traction and high speed stability. In the picture above, you can see how Michelin can control the rubber that, as part of the tire, affects turning and straight-line stability. The 2D and 3D sipes (found on some Michelin tire models) lock in under load to provide better handling in wet weather and snowy conditions.

Track Time at Michelin’s Tire School

Now it was time to put Michelin’s impressive technology to the test. I was looking forward to learning even more about the Pilot Super Sport and testing its strengths on the track. However, when we were told that there would be a portion of the test with timed laps, I perked up even more (I’ve been known to be a bit competitive…)

PCA Executive Director Vu Nguyen and PorschePurist.com's Christian Maloof

Porsche Club of America’s Executive Director, and fellow PCA member, Vu Nguyen and I jumped into our test rig, a 3 Series BMW (the local facilities were the same used by the BMW school) and prepared to turn a few quick and smooth laps. Once in the test car our conversation quickly turned to the subject of traction control and how it just seems to take some of the fun out of track driving.

Regardless of the platform (Porsche or BMW, traction control or not) the key to a fast lap is a drama-less smooth approach where you maintain the highest minimum speed into the corner. I was very pleased with the solid corner grip and high speed stability provided by the Michelin Pilot Super Sports through the very fast “esses” on this track.

Now, what’s a little testing without competition? Team PorschePurist.com had the fastest lap of the day, beating a fellow Porsche guy (and 2-time national autocross champion) and an engineer from the esteemed Skip Barber Race School.

Side to Side Comparisons

The only side to side comparison that we participated in was a blind test on identical BMW 330i’s. Some were equipped with Michelin Pilot All Season (PAS) while the rest were shod in the Pilot Super Sport (PSS). This opportunity marked the second time I was able to put the Pilot Super Sport to the test since attending the launch in Dubai nearly two years ago, but the first time I’ve done so in a blind test. Driving the PSS against the extremely highly rated All Season Pilot, without know what car you were in, was a very telling experience.

The first car was great in the wet, very predictable and fairly confident. On the extremely wet oval skid pad, I experienced initial under-steer (as was to be expected), especially if I was carrying too much speed. The uphill hairpin section of the track was not as bad as the downhill, as the grade helped make the contact patch of the front tires larger (whereas the downhill required me to slow down a good deal to keep the line tight). This seemed about right, the way I expected the tire to perform (I’m assuming I’m on PSS’s at this point).

The second car made me throw all assumptions out the window. From the very first corner the car turned in dramatically better that the previous test vehicle. While the first car had mild over-steer under throttle, in car two I had to get silly in order to get sideways. Even when I did get it sideways, it was very controllable. Once I got back for a driver debrief and found out that car two wore Pilot Super Sports, I decided I wanted these tires on my daily driver (and for those of you who are wondering: yes, I pay full price too).

Tires are paramount in importance when comes to braking, handling and performance, not to mention overall safety. While I’ve had personal experiences with Michelin that have convinced me of their commitment to quality, attending their Tire School give me even more confidence in their products.

Confidently Recommending Michelin

Shortly after this event, I was sharing a cup of coffee with my Dad and he mentioned he needed new tires for his BMW X5. I had no reservations in recommending the Michelin Latitude Tour, which I had tested on X5s in the off-road course of the school. He mentioned the Michelins seemed to get noisy after only a few months. I asked if he had a 4-wheel alignment and had rotated and maintained proper tire pressures consistently (which was funny to ask, since Dad taught me about cars). I further suggested he call the Michelin Consumer Care number. He did and the next day reported that Michelin had given him $300 off a replacement set of tires. Not only are Michelins superior tires, but their post-purchase customer support is impressive.

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Support PorschePurist.com by Purchasing Tires for Your Porsche via the TireRack

[Picture of Michelin 997 GT3 via Wikipedia]

As an affiliate partner of Tire Rack we routinely get a number of promotional emails touting all sorts of specials. Almost all of these we don’t pass along as they don’t really pertain to Porsche owners. However, just the other day we received one such email that had a number of offers, including a $70 Rebate from Michelin.

Here’s a complete list of all the current offers at the Tire Rack you might be interested in. Remember, if you are planning to purchase new tires for your Porsche and you do so through one of these links your helping to support PorschePurist in our efforts to bring you the latest and greatest information on the cars, products and lifestyle associated with the Porsche brand.

Get $70 Back When You Buy 4 Michelin Tires

Goodyear, Get Up to an $80 Rebate!

20% Off Select Koni Products

Bridgestone, Get a $70 Reward Card

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About a month ago Michelin called and offered PorschePurist a trip to Dubai to test their new Ultra Performance tire; the Michelin Pilot Super Sport. Knowing of Michelin’s long standing partnership with Porsche, and that this tire is likely be a future original equipment fitment on some of its top end models, we eagerly accepted. Prior to the event the French tire company was tight lipped and details were few and far between. All we knew was that Michelin would take care of all our travel and accommodations so we could focus on testing these new tires on vehicles we know well; the Porsche 997 Carrera S, 4S and Turbo. An even bigger tease was the chance to play with some ultra rare exotics. We were not disappointed. Michelin, Get a $70 Prepaid Card!

The chance to see Dubai, test a new tire and play with fast and exotic sports cars (especially at Michelin’s expense) was too great an opportunity to ignore. Leaving Michigan early evening, I arrive in the United Arab Emirates a short 15 hours later along with representatives from a select group of Porsche and automotive media outlets. Besides the obvious, part of what makes this trip unique is the eclectic group of automotive press, car club representatives, bloggers and professional drivers gathered together by Michelin.

Getting Introduced to the Autodrome and the Michelin Pilot Super Sport

My first taste of both the track, and the tire I flew thousands of miles to try, comes via a Porsche 997 Twin Turbo with ceramic composite brakes and the fancy pants center lock wheels. I jump right in with Michelin test driver, and Porsche expert, Daniel Golebiewski. As we pull out onto the track our discussion revolves around the design goals of Michelin to maximize initial turn-in grip and high speed stability. After an exploratory lap we increase the pace, intentionally going too hot into corners to induce a slight understeer. Despite certain forum entries to the contrary, there is a need, and a desire, for slight understeer. You see, in order to truly maximize corning speed a capable driver needs to have confidence that the vehicle will not rotate too early in the corner, allowing the fastest speed possible on track out. However, like many other things in life, too much of anyone thing is bad. For that reason excessive understeer forces slower turn-in speeds.

The 997 Turbo is a great platform to demonstrate tire and car working in conjunction. Balance and grip are evident no matter how harsh the inputs. For example, even while abruptly lifting off the throttle in a corner the Porsche still tracks its line where you might otherwise expect the rear-end to break loose. That’s not to say you can’t force the matter. In one of the more extreme corners at the Autodrome, a slightly uphill, left hand, bowl-like sweeper, you can break the rear-end loose with ease by simply goosing the throttle (tapping deep into the 500 available horses) while applying a slight counter-steer in order to hold a fast, controlled slide through the corner.

High Speed Slalom

The main straight of this FIA circuit makes for a great high speed slalom course. At a somewhat absurd 145 mph, the Turbo is completely balanced and behaved while weaving side to side from outer edge to outer edge! How can a 3500lb car be this stable at this speed? It’s not just the superb balance of the Porsche. The tires play a crucial role. That’s not to say that the Porsche Turbo’s 3.8L powerhouse, and its larger than life 380 mm carbon fiber brakes, aren’t able to overwhelm the new Michelin a bit on high speed entry, enticing the ABS to get a workout, but this could easily be avoided with a smoother transfer to the brake pedal.

Wet Skid Pad

One of the main goals for Michelin with the Super Sport is to improve wet grip over previous models. In the North American market most consumers are generally more concerned with dry grip. Conversely, the European market pays particular attention to wet performance. Our next test pits nearly identical Audi TTs against each other. One is shod with the new Pilot Super Sport and the other with Continental ContiSportContact 5 Ps.

I drive the two Audis back to back, on the same wet circuit, with dramatically different results. The Super Sport is actually somewhat boring compared to the Continental. This, in case you’re wondering, is a good thing. The Super Sport is particularly confident in the wet. As I transfer from the primarily wet skid pad to another with small intermittent dry patches there is little drama and I’m able to stay very tight to the inner radius. Simple throttle control allows for a gentle increase or decrease in my radius. Performing the same exercise on the Continental results in much more flair. The slip angles are much bigger and the transition from grip to slip is much more abrupt. The Continental feels a little vague and is harder to keep the Audi on a consistent line in the wet as compared to the new Michelin. The Continental’s subtle lack of grip may be more impressive to on-lookers but the Michelin clearly has the advantage in this test.

Wet and dry braking

Cornering speeds and stability are great but nothing without the ability to stop in a controlled manner. Michelin’s Pilot Sport 2 already has very good dry braking, the idea that the Super Sport improved upon this by a full three meters (56 mph or 90kph to 0 tested on Michelin’s test track) is astounding.

Our weapons of choice for this test are identical E92 V8 BMW M3s. To ensure accuracy the cars are outfitted with Performance Box data acquisition systems to measure braking distances and confirm entry speed. I set the BMWs cruise control to maintain 90kph (about 55 mph) and complete a series of both wet and dry runs to measure distance relative to the Pirelli P Zero tire. While dry, both tires manage neck jerking, grocery tossing stops. If not for the Performance box the only difference I could point out is the activity of the ABS. The Pirelli tire is definitely more active under hard braking and thus the ABS works much harder. Surprisingly I’m able to stop 2.2-2.3 meters shorter on the Michelin Pilot Super Sports.

Given my experience in dry conditions I expect similar results while wet. Judging from pedal feel, braking distances seem consistent with my dry results. However, despite the car being very active under braking I’m able to break 1.1 meters shorter on the Pirelli in the wet. Huh? I’m still a bit perplexed by this and would like to explore this further, but as my physicist friend says “you have to trust the data.” Later in the day my confusion lifts slightly after reading the TUV testing results. This comprehensive test, with over 600 sets of tires, concludes that the Pilot Super Sport out performs all its competitors in the wet with the single exception of the Pirelli P Zero.

Dry Handling

Perhaps the most conclusive test comes courtesy of almost identical Porsche 997 Carrera S models. Like the Audis and BMWs before, the only difference between the two are the tires. One wears Pilot Super Sports and the other Bridgestone Potenza S001. I have a good deal of respect for the Bridgestone Potenza tires. I like their RE040 and RE11 models and my understanding is the S001 is their new top-end ultra performance tire. Once I feel comfortable with the circuit layout, I really push both tires to the limit. Both are great performers and a tribute to how far street tires have come.

Unfortunately, no matter how nicely I ask, I’m forced to leave the PSM engaged while the Porsches are in Sport Plus mode (in other words, a mild version of traction control is riding shotgun). Even still, I’m able to push the Michelin Pilot Super Sport right to the limit and maintain very high corner entry speeds. Floating the car into a tricky, decreasing radius corner I still have good balance and mid-corner grip. Trying the same moves in the Porsche with the Potenza S001 and the PSM noticeably engages mid-corner and reduces my accuracy as compared to the Michelin. Lastly, the Bridgestones seem to “hunt” in the hard brake zones whereas the Michelin feels more planted under braking. In my opinion, the Pilot Super Sport feels more like the Pilot Sport Cup on the dry handling course. I think there are a couple of reasons why.

Tire Construction

Michelin’s best kept secret (up to now) is their use of a para-aramid synthetic fiber that previously was seen only in aerospace, military and body armor applications. This material, known as “Twaron,” is woven into the construction of the Super Sport. The number of weaves, their shape and tension help to control the shape of the tire under load. This results in a reduced outer shoulder temperature and the ability to transfer that heat more evenly across the face of the tire. All this tire “technology” allows Michelin to maximize the dynamic contact patch and maintain more of the tire flat on the pavement.

Additionally, Michelin incorporates a “Bi-compound” design that combines two different rubber compounds between the right and left hand side of the tread. The outer side, where all of the cornering forces come from, has a black-reinforced elastomer. Michelin says they have drawn from their 19 LeMans victories (13 consecutive) to develop a tire with phenomenal grip and endurance. On the inner edge these “provide exceptional wet grip to mold themselves to the slightest irregularities in the road surface and break the film of water.”

Final thoughts on the Michelin Pilot Super Sport

At the end of the final day I spend a good deal of time in a 997 S on a “free drive”. For once there are no choreographed tests, no comparisons with selected tires, just open track time with a car I know very well. I drive track cars and race cars on DOT R compound tires and full racing slicks. In comparison a street car with street tires should seem a bore, but it’s quite the contrary. The Porsche is stable and predictable with excellent initial turn-in and mid corner grip. I’m able to get to power early and maintain it through track out. Prior to this trip I thought a street tire with a 300 tire wear rating, the ability to handle in the wet and this kind of feel and grip an impossibility, yet here it is in the form of the new Michelin Pilot Super Sport.

Michelin set out to develop a tire that has the dry grip of a DOT legal R compound tire like the Pilot Sport Cup with the wet performance of their Ultra High Performance Pilot Sport 3. Given the results of the series of tests we performed (coupled with my open track time) their success seems quite obvious. It is, however, only fair to mention that the tests we engaged in were designed and controlled by Michelin and are obviously meant to showcase the strengths of the Pilot Super Sport. Regardless, I came away from my middle-east trip tired, jet-lagged and extremely impressed. I look forward to putting these new Michelins to the test under my own circumstances and in real world conditions. More to come…

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A few weeks ago, Porsche Purist received a cryptic invitation from our friends at Michelin. It came via telephone and asked questions like, “do you have a valid passport?”. Well, turns out our fearless Motorsport Editor, Christian Maloof, has a passport, and (much like James Bond, but behind the wheel of a German car) was ready to hop on a plane on a yet-to-be determined mission to a secret track somewhere near Dubai.

Details of this adventure have only begun to emerge. We just learned that over the next week PorschePurist will get to experience Michelin’s new high-performance tire, the Super Sport Cup. We know little about the surprises that await us in Dubai, but the folks at Michelin have promised us the experience will be one we won’t soon forget. As we’re already fans of the Michelin Pilot Sport Cup Tire (affectionately called “Cups” by many of us who track our Porsches), we’re looking forward to trying out the new rubber well in advance of the 2011 track season.

Most of all, we’re looking forward to telling you about our driving adventure as it unfolds. We’re leaving tomorrow and will be off on our adventure between Wednesday, Nov. 17 and Friday, Nov. 19. Be sure to check PorschePurist.com often for updates (remember if you receive our updates via email they are delayed by almost 24 hours), and be sure to follow us on Twitter for the latest news and pictures in real-time. We encourage you to submit your questions, and Christian will do his best to answer them (assuming we can get him out of the cars).

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Back in November of last year, Porsche announced they had extended their approval process for winter tires to include tires for both “young and old classics”. As per the press release, “Offering customers this unusual service, the German manufacturer of sports cars enables drivers of older models to use the best available products on their car. Porsche is therefore providing valuable help and orientation in the process of choosing new winter tires with safe driving characteristics on snow and ice.”

The release went on to detail more information about how and why this approval process was put into place and suggested there was a list available on the Porsche web-site to view. But, and this is a big but, the release didn’t provide a link to their list of “approved tires” (only a link to the main site) and an extensive search of the Porsche web-site simply frustrated us further. Fortunately, through a contact at PCNA, we were able to get the seemingly top secret locations of these hard to find lists and we present them here now for your future use.

• Winter Tires for Current Vehicles
• Winter Tires for 996/986
• Winter Tires for Classic Porsches

As always, you can Change your tires with the seasons with a Preferred Winter Tire & Wheel Package from Tire Rack.

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Nitrogen vs. Compressed Air in Your Porsche Tires

The answer, it would appear, depends on who you ask. You see, Nitrogen is used in the space shuttle and in commercial airliners mostly because it is non-combustible. The likely hood of the tires on your Porsche getting hot enough, during normal driving, to explode is fairly slim . However, there are other reasons to consider Nitrogen.

Potential Problems from Using Compressed Air in Your Tires

Most tires are inflated with compressed air, (a combination of gasses made up of nearly 78% nitrogen (N2), 21% oxygen (O2) and 1% argon (Ar) and a few other trace gasses). There are a number of possible problems with this mixture and reasons to think about Nitrogen.

1. Air Leakage: The molecular makeup of rubber is such that regular compressed air can permeate through the rubber allowing the pressure in your tires to drop at a rate of 1 to 2 PSI per month (assuming constant temperatures).
2. Pressure Changes: Along with the normal components of compressed air comes moisture/water and water isn’t good for anything tire related. This moisture is usually a result of humidity in the air and the act of compressing it greatly increases the concentration of water by volume. Don’t believe me? Try this, next time you’re at a gas station and you plan on topping off your tires, depress the chuck on the hose for a few seconds with your thumb. Chance are your thumb will feel moist and you may even see water. It’s this water/moisture that gets into your tire, reacts to temperature changes and can change the pressure of your tires. This is why it is always suggest you check your tire pressure “cold” before you’ve driven the car and heated the tires and the moisture within.
3. Oxidation: Oxygen corrodes aluminum and steel possibly weakening your wheels. Additionally, oxygen reacts with rubber, in a sense,“corroding” it too (possibly making your tires unsafe). Rust and dust created from this oxidation can clog valve stems, causing them to leak. Lastly, rough surfaces on wheel flanges and tire beads (due to corrosion) may not seal properly, causing additional leaks. Combine this with the moisture mentioned above and your expensive tires can possibly be damaged

Why Nitrogen May be Better in Your Tires

For some, especially those that drive race cars or who regularly participate in Driver’s Education and other high speed events, Nitrogen provides a number of benefits:

1. Air Leakage: Nitrogen molecules are actually larger than the Oxygen molecules found in compressed air. So much so, that while they can still “permeate” the rubber or leak through, they do it at a much slower rate. If you fill a balloon with air by blowing into it, it will shrivel up in a short period of time (that’s the compressed air escaping through the skin of the balloon). Fill that same balloon with Nitrogen and it will remain filled for a much longer period of time. Compressed air leaks at a rate of 1 to 2 psi per month. Nitrogen leaks at a rate of 1 to 2 psi every six months.
2. Pressure Changes: Unlike compressed air, Nitrogen is dry. No moisture means fewer, if any, pressure fluctuations. For those of you who race and want to dial in your suspension, you already know this. For those of you spending more time on the track in High Speed Driver’s Ed events, it’s something to keep in mind.
3. Oxidation: Nitrogen is far less reactive than compressed air. It won’t cause rust and corrosion on steel or aluminum. More importantly, it won’t degrade the rubber.

Add the three factors above together and you have a recipe for constant pressure and better wheel/tire wear. More consistent pressure translates into better gas mileage and longer life for your expensive tires (not to mention a fine tuned suspension dialed in to your track needs for that particular day).

If Nitrogen provides such great benefits why is there even a question about using it?

1. Nitrogen isn’t anywhere near as available as compressed air, yet. While you can purchase cylinders of it from various suppliers, filling stations are few and far between.
2. Compressed air is inexpensive compared to Nitrogen. Most gas stations have compressed air available for free or a nominal fee of fifty cents or so. Shops may charge as much as $30 per tire for a nitrogen fill (although $10 is a more reasonable fee and some places will even fill for free with a tire purchase).

Lastly, and most importantly, you can get pretty much the same results (for street use) from compressed air by simply checking your tire pressure more frequently. Checking and adjusting your tires as little as once per month can provide the same benefit(s) that you get from Nitrogen for most drivers. If you’re a racer, then most likely you’re already using nitrogen and rightfully so. If you’re a Porsche enthusiast who enjoys a spirited drive now and then, simply purchase a nice gauge like this Porsche one or this one available from Moroso”

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[Source: Popular Mechanics, Bridgestone, 993C4S]

For those of you that have been long-term readers you’ll remember a post I did some time ago where I offered my research services to answer any Porsche related question. That post, “I’m not a Porsche Expert, but I Play one on the Internet” continues to generate a number of questions and I want to do my best to keep answering them for you.

In my opinion, it’s a win-win situation. You get great content to help research a specific Porsche topic and during my research I learn even more about Porsche Cars, Products and LifeStyle. Please feel free to keep sending your questions in by simply commenting on this article or any other on the site (I see them all.) If I don’t answer them directly, here on the web-site, I will email you back personally whenever possible.

Today’s question has to do with finding the right tire for your Porsche. More specifically:

“What does it mean for a tire to have a Porsche N spec approval?”

A Porsche N spec approved tire is one that has passed a series of difficult and diverse test designed by Porsche engineers to ensure maximum performance and safety under a wide range of driving conditions. To qualify for this approval and “to be an Original Equipment tire provider on a Porsche vehicle or be approved by Porsche for the replacement market requires the joint product development efforts of the tire engineers working alongside the Porsche vehicle engineers.” In some instances specific tires will only be approved for specific Porsche applications or models.

Tires may be specified for a particular vehicle or range of vehicles and must successfully pass the tire company’s laboratory tests to assure that they would be capable of adequately supporting the Porsche vehicle while allowing it to reach its top speed on the German Autobahn. Additional laboratory, test track and race track tests are conducted to confirm that the prototype tires meet Porsche’s noise, hydroplaning and handling requirements. Prototype tires will also be evaluated to assess their high-speed durability, uniformity and serviceability. Upon test completion, the tires will be released for production.

Let’s look at some of the tests required by Porsche for N spec approval:

• SPEED: The tire must be capable of safely handling the Porsche vehicle at any speed while allowing it to reach its top speed on a track or the German Autobahn.
• NOISE: As tires continue to grow in size and width, noise suppression becomes more and more important. Generally speaking, Porsche performance tires are low profile and very soft. This makes it even more difficult to manage road noise. You can rest assured that those tires with a Porsche N spec approval will be as quiet as possible.
• HYDROPLANING: The focus in recent radial tire development for Porsche vehicles has primarily included optimum handling on dry surfaces and the safest possible behavior on wet surfaces, even at high speeds. Tires developed by various manufacturers, in concert with Porsche, offer a specific set of wet grip properties which few, if any, other automobile manufacturers demand in equal measure from the tires they use on their vehicles.
• HANDLING: I’m not sure this particular heading requires any additional explanation. Your tires provide the grip that keeps your Porsche “stuck” to the road. Poor tire construction, soft sidewall, tires that are too firm, etc. all these things will lead to reduced handling and possible safety concerns that can be avoided by choosing a Porsche N spec tire.

Once a tire has been approved by Porsche it is branded with the N spec approval. The N-specification brandings include: N-0 (N-zero), N-1, N-2, N-3 or N-4. These markings on a tire’s sidewall clearly identify them as approved by Porsche for their vehicles. The N-0 marking is assigned to the first approved version of a tire design. As that design is refined externally or internally, the later significant evolutions will result in a new generation of the tire to be branded with N-1, N-2, N-3, etc., in succession. When a completely new tire design is approved, it receives the N-0 branding and the succession begins again.

It is important to note that certain tire manufacturers may produce the exact same tire in name, size and speed rating as those that have the N spec approval. However, if they are not branded with the N spec approval than it is very likely that they do not adhere to the same rigid production and quality requirements demanded by Porsche.

According to a recent Porsche owner’s manuals, if you do run Porsche N spec approved tires on your car, it is always recommend that your tires be replaced in pairs (one axle at a time.) In the event of tire damage such as cuts, punctures, cracks or sidewall bulges that cause a single tire to be replaced for safety reasons, the remaining matching tire on that axle must not exceed 30 percent wear. If the remaining tire has more than 30 percent wear from new, it should also be replaced. Handling inconsistencies may result if this is not done.

Here’s a list of some of the more popular Porsche N spec approved tires:

• Pirelli PZero Rosso Tire
• Michelin Pilot Sport Rib Tire
• Michelin Pilot Sport PS2 Tire
• Bridgetstone Potenza (various models)

There are many, many more tires, than those listed above, that are Porsche N spec approved. If you are researching tires, one of your best bets is to check out The Tire Rack as you can look up your vehicle by make, model and year. The resulting list of tires will provide you with various information including whether the tire is a Porsche N spec approved one.

As a conflicting and interesting end to this post, I recently replaced the tires on my 1997 Porsche 993 C4S. After days of research I ended up selecting a tire that was NOT Porsche N spec approved. At the end of the day I received an excellent tire that performs as well, if not better, than the N spec approved tires the car was originally equipped with. Here’s a review of the Sumitomo HTR Z III tires I chose.

Don’t forget, if you have more questions you would like researched and answered, please ask below or by sending me an email to ask at 993C4S dot com.

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