Tire Guy

I get a daily recap of tire and tire industry news. This article came up today.

Michelin Pilot Super Sport ZP tires for the C7 Corvette, Part One
About.com
June 30, 2014
Tires are the keystone for handling and performance, a fact Corvette engineers don't take lightly. Which is why when they were going through the design process for the C7, they didn't just blindly hand a tire contract to Michelin, who had been outfitting new Corvettes for several years. Winning a tire shootout among top brands was the first step for Michelin; the second was to redesign the tire for a better blend of performance and comfort. What kind of handling and performance does the Michelin Pilot Super Sport ZP give the 2014 Corvette Stingray? Experts take it to the track to find out.
About the Michelin Pilot Super Sport ZP:
The Pilot Super Sport (PSS) is Michelin's full-pressure ultra-high performance (UHP) summer tire -- its Y speed rating means it's capable of speeds up to 186 miles per hour, far faster than most will be taking their Corvette. Car and Driver gives it first place in their summer performance tire test, saying "It felt firm and planted on the dry autocross and brought the steering wheel to life in our hands." In comparison to UHP tires by Continental, Yokohama, Hankook and Dunlop, editors say the PSS "has the best balance of wet and dry performance we've ever experienced." It was the lightest tire (by several pounds) in Hot Rod magazine's test, where drivers report that it's "awesome at the front turn-in and under straight-line braking and acceleration but not as stable coming out of the apex." After rigorous comparison tests, experts at Consumer Reports also name the PSS as one of the best performers in the summer ultra-high performance class.
The 2014 Corvette Stingray features the Pilot Super Sport ZP, which is the run-flat version of the PSS. These are a "cross between Michelin’s PS2 and PS Cup tires and were engineered for the C7 Corvette using the exact same computer models that Michelin used to create tires for the Corvette C6.R race cars," says Keith Cornett at CorvetteBlogger.com. "The new tires even incorporate many of the same rubber mixes in its construction too."
These belong to the summer-only tire category: their best performance is on dry pavement, with treadwear designs and siping to help shed water for better grip and increased resistance to hydroplaning in the wet. This class of tire offers the "highest level of street performance," says Sean Phillips, the tire expert for About.com. Summer UHP tires "trade off wet grip capabilities and comfortable ride qualities to deliver the maximum dry grip and performance available. While these are not specifically track tires, they are best used in situations where competition-level performance is needed."
The UTQG (Uniform Tire Quality Grade) of 300/AA/A means the PSS ZP has the highest traction measurable for passenger tires and the best temperature rating -- in short, the PSS ZP is very sticky and resists degradation at high speeds. But the softer compound used to achieve maximum grip comes at a price: the 300 treadwear rating is significantly lower than an all-season tire for a much shorter life (a common disadvantage for ultra-high performance tires). At TireRack.com, owners say the Michelin PSS ZP lasts longer than the average UHP tire, with many owners clocking as much as 30,000 miles per set. Michelin also includes a 6-year, 30,000-mile treadwear warranty.

The Tire Guy

AFVETTE

Interesting, but for me the COLD weather "cracking" is a concern. I know owner's are advised not to drive their cars in temps below 20 degree's, but what happens to these tires if new C7's are delivered to dealers in the dead of winter in northern states? Has GM instructed dealers to keep them parked in a temperture control building?

If not are these tires safe once delivered to the owner at a later date?

Or is the cold weather "cracking" a myth?

Tire Guy

I spent 13 of my 30 years selling tires in Chicago, all brands, including Michelin and I never saw the type of problem we have seen with the winter cracking. It is very unusual. Luckily they are under warranty. Regardless of weather it should not happen. I doubt GM will send anything about keeping the tires inside.

JoesC5

I didn't realize that the new tire for the C7 was only Y rated(up to 186 MPH). I thought it was (Y) rated(186+ MPH) like the tires used on the C6.

If indeed they are Y rated, then I believe that federal law requires that the car have a speed limiter that matches the speed rating of the tires.

But, according to both Michelin and TireRack(on their respective websites), they are (Y) rated tires, not Y rated per the article in the original post.

AFVETTE

Camaro Z28 and cold weather tire issues, not Michelin but a max performance SUMMER tire.

http://www.camaroz28.com/production-...amaro-zl1-1le/

I'm selling my OEM Michelin's when I get my 2014 and replacing them with some All Season tires. My track days are over so a longer lasting less expensive all season tire is more important to me.

JoesC5

I would wager that the A/S tire would fit the requirements for 95% of Corvettes owners.

AFVETTE

Yea, how many vette's ever see the track? I admit it my track days are over and I'll all about "cruising" now. Been called a "poser" too.

And if you exceed the capability of any quality All Season High Performance tire on ANY public street/road you are breaking many laws and endangering lives. I believe that's called "street racing".

Not my cup of tea.

jerryv

I think they should have offered a low-cost/no-cost option between the summer-only and all-season tires .. given that a LOT of people live in areas that get temps well below freezing in the winter .. and relatively few people actually need the performance of the summer-only tires ..

KCCO

Thanks so much for the information and post, very helpful!

Tire Guy

You are welcome.

indy 28

[I'm selling my OEM Michelin's when I get my 2014 and replacing them with some All Season tires. My track days are over so a longer lasting less expensive all season tire is more important to me.[/QUOTE]

At 3000 miles, I replaced my Super Sport ZP with Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3's on my TR Z51 convertible. I'm very happy with the overall improved street performance qualities.

Less unsprung weight, less noise, less road debris damage because they aren't as sticky, drive in any weather, no tire hop, better tread wear. They are not run flats, so have a 12v compressor and plug kit onboard. Keep your old tires if you have track plans.

AFVETTE

I'll be getting the ContiComfortKit to get me home should I pick up a nail etc.

455230

GM could have made a lot of extra money by making ultra high performance a/s tires standard..... and charging $895 extra for the summer performance tires that are currently on the car....

It would have been a must have option for a lot of this crowd that arent getting the z51 pack.

Jontall

We need Michelin to make zero pressure A/S 3 tires in C7 sizes. Most of us live in cold weather climates.

indy 28

In C7 Z51 sizes. I heard they are in the future. We'll see.

beepster

RonC7

I'm also waiting for the A/S ZP tires. I had them on my 2006. I don't want to park the car all winter and really don't like the idea of non-runflats and no spare. (yeah - I've only had a very few flats over the years, but...). If you haven't already - go to the Michelin tire web site, contact us, and express your desire for an A/S ZP tire in Z51 sizes. The more requests their marketing guys see, the better chance of a new product.

nopassing

Sallye M

For C7 owners the OEM Michelin tread wear warranty is half that. Info from Michelin website:

"Some vehicles come from the vehicle manufacturer with“split fitments”— meaning different size tires on the front and rear axles. Because these tires cannot be rotated as recommended by Michelin, the mileage warranty on each rear tire will cover half the number of miles as the standard mileage warranty for that particular tire design."

Cruiter

If you read your manual, it does call for side to side rotation. The tires are non-directional. Some dealers are aware of this and some are not (guess they don't read well).