[nwills]

If you're running Michelin Pilot Super Sport in 245/35-30 you must have the K1 marking on the side?

According to the Michelin website that particular size only comes in Ferrari OE with the K1 marking.

http://michelinman.com/tire-selector/category/ultra-high-performance-sport/pilot-super-sport/tire-details

There is no part number or mention of the Pilot Super Sport in that size in a non K1 designated version!

Which brings me to my issue....

I've been told that OE designed tires are optimized for a certain car (hence the OE stamp from a specific manufacturer) and are not well suited to be used with any car!

I'm very likely to be over thinking this but I really would rather run tires that are well suited to my F10 and more importantly read lots of posts here on the Michelin Super Sport and no one ever brought this up....certainly some Michelin owners are running 245/35-20?

[Alan l.]

Personally I think high performance cars are engineered towards specific tires not the other way around. Think about how no tire manufacture lists what cars there tires can and cannot work on. They could be going on a Honda civic or on a Porche. Tireack told me its just the size that makes this a "Ferrari tire".

Your best bet is to contact Michelin directly if you want to be certain.

Alan

[nwills]

Originally Posted by Alan l.

Personally I think high performance cars are engineered towards specific tires not the other way around. Think about how no tire manufacture lists what cars there tires can and cannot work on. They could be going on a Honda civic or on a Porche. Tireack told me its just the size that makes this a "Ferrari tire".

Your best bet is to contact Michelin directly if you want to be certain.

Alan

That sounds logical.

Not all Ferraris are the same so how could this K1 tire have any Ferrari specific characteristics that apply across the board to all their vehicles.

I'll contact Michelin this week just for peace of mind and to put this thing to rest.

[Alan l.]

Let us know what they say. I am going to check my pss in the garage later to see if it says K1 on it and see if the Michelin label says anything.

Alan

[remmib]

No, Michelin makes "non-Ferrari" 245/35/20 PSS too without the K1 stamp, at least it looks like that from these tire listings.

http://ssl.delti.com/cgi-bin/rshop.p...&sort_by=brand

http://burns.idium.net/dekkmann.no/n...20&postnr=4270

[Alan l.]

I just checked my PSS and also has the K1 marking but the Michelin label doesn't say Ferrari on it anywhere.

Alan

[remmib]

K1=Ferrari

But it's weird that Michelin only list the 245/35/20 K1 on their sites, I checked the Norweigan, German and French site.

But then they have also failed to list the new Michelin Primacy 3 in size 235/45/17.

[nwills]

Originally Posted by remmib

No, Michelin makes "non-Ferrari" 245/35/20 PSS too without the K1 stamp, at least it looks like that from these tire listings.

http://ssl.delti.com/cgi-bin/rshop.p...&sort_by=brand

http://burns.idium.net/dekkmann.no/n...20&postnr=4270

It seems that way!?

They're all foreign listings so can't read but it looks like they don't have the K1 marking.

The Michelin website on the other hand doesn't show any tires in that size without the K1

[nwills]

Originally Posted by Alan l.

I just checked my PSS and also has the K1 marking but the Michelin label doesn't say Ferrari on it anywhere.

Alan

No Ferrari label or name on mine either...but the K1 is Ferrari OE.

[tp550i]

Contact Gary at Tire Rack. He told me last fall that the PSS would be available in summer 2012. The K1 tire starts with 9/32 tread.

[Alan l.]

Both of my tires are at 300AA wear rating.

[bobblehead]

Part of the Michelin news release ....

the MICHELIN Pilot Super Sport launched in 2010 was developed in
partnership with Porsche, Ferrari and BMW M.

Michelin and Porsche have been partners since 1961 and each innovation is the
result of close cooperation between the two companies. Engineers work hand in
hand to define tires compatible with the performance levels and advanced
technologies of the Porsche model, for both passenger and racing cars.
Michelin’s cooperation projects with BMW are also the result of a shared
commitment to high performance. When the BMW group’s BMW M subsidiary
designs cars, its sets the bar very high in terms of robustness, sports performance,
safety and innovation.

In 2010, Michelin received the Ferrari Technology Award for its contribution to the
development of the GT lineup. Ferrari is also the first carmaker to have certified the
MICHELIN Pilot Super Sport tires, choosing them to equip its 599 GTO model.
Michelin and Ferrari development engineers and test drivers worked together on
different racetracks, in particular at Fiorano and Nardo in Italy, to validate the tires’
performance balance, which is perfectly aligned with the chassis features of the new
Ferrari GTO, the manufacturer’s fastest road car ever.

[Alan l.]

OK here is the deal with the Michelin PSS in "Ferrari K1" spec and normal spec.

Since this thread popped up it caused me to dig a little deeper about these tires and here's what i found.

1) The Ferrari "K1" spec tires ARE different compared to the normal non Ferrari tires

2) The "K1" spec starts out with less tread wear. For the 245/35/20 size it starts out with 9/32 tread where as the normal tire is 10/32. Barely any difference but.....the 285/30/20 K1 Ferrari tire starts out at just 7/32 tread where as the normal tire is 10/32. You are basically losing 30% of tread right off the bat.

3) The tread design pattern is the same but the grooves in between the tread columns on the K1 tire is wider. You have to see the tire side by side to see the difference.

4) The K1 Ferrari tire tends to be lighter weight than the normal tire. For the 285/30/20 size the K1 tire is approx 2.6lbs lighter (less tread prolly)

5) Now here's the kicker. Since i originally ordered the K1 spec tires for both the front and rear just to find out now that Tirerack also sells the Normal version non K1 tire in the 285/30/20 size, I called to exchange the tires since i haven't mounted them yet. Now that i have both sets of the tires in front of me the K1 tire has a different profile sidewall and is also much stiffer than the normal non K1 tire. The K1 tire's sidewall is more rounded and has more of a stretched look while the normal version is a more traditional blockier sidewall (less stretch look). You can tell just by looking at the tire without them being installed on a wheel. The part that worries me is that the K1 tire will probably have stiffer ride comfort (better handling) compared to the non K1 version. I believe this is due to the K1 tire having a higher speed rating than the normal tire. Not sure.

6) The "K1" tire also cost more. TR has the rear tires for $406 each while the normal version is $359 each.

This would explain why the OP's rear tire looks more stretched on his vossen's than they do on other cars with different tires running 10.5" wheel.

Alan

[nwills]

Originally Posted by Alan l.

OK here is the deal with the Michelin PSS in "Ferrari K1" spec and normal spec.

Since this thread popped up it caused me to dig a little deeper about these tires and here's what i found.

1) The Ferrari "K1" spec tires ARE different compared to the normal non Ferrari tires

2) The "K1" spec starts out with less tread wear. For the 245/35/20 size it starts out with 9/32 tread where as the normal tire is 10/32. Barely any difference but.....the 285/30/20 K1 Ferrari tire starts out at just 7/32 tread where as the normal tire is 10/32. You are basically losing 30% of tread right off the bat.

3) The tread design pattern is the same but the grooves in between the tread columns on the K1 tire is wider. You have to see the tire side by side to see the difference.

4) The K1 Ferrari tire tends to be lighter weight than the normal tire. For the 285/30/20 size the K1 tire is approx 2.6lbs lighter (less tread prolly)

5) Now here's the kicker. Since i originally ordered the K1 spec tires for both the front and rear just to find out now that Tirerack also sells the Normal version non K1 tire in the 285/30/20 size, I called to exchange the tires since i haven't mounted them yet. Now that i have both sets of the tires in front of me the K1 tire has a different profile sidewall and is also much stiffer than the normal non K1 tire. The K1 tire's sidewall is more rounded and has more of a stretched look while the normal version is a more traditional blockier sidewall (less stretch look). You can tell just by looking at the tire without them being installed on a wheel. The part that worries me is that the K1 tire will probably have stiffer ride comfort (better handling) compared to the non K1 version. I believe this is due to the K1 tire having a higher speed rating than the normal tire. Not sure.

6) The "K1" tire also cost more. TR has the rear tires for $406 each while the normal version is $359 each.

This would explain why the OP's rear tire looks more stretched on his vossen's than they do on other cars with different tires running 10.5" wheel.

Alan

Wow Alan! That's awesome info...thanks so much for that!

I'll exchange the rears to the non K1 version and hopefully that sorts out the stretched look.

The fronts in 245/35-20 only come in the K1 version but they don't have a stretched look.

Now hopefully, running the K1 in the front with the non K1 in the rear isn't an issue but based on the differences you stated above it doesn't seem like it would be a problem. maybe the difference in thread pattern?

Tirerack has a 30 day return policy from the manufacturer as long as the bead isn't damaged while removing the tire.

So from what you can see...there is a sidewall difference between the two?
What kind of rims do you have? Are they 10.5 in the rear?

[Alan l.]

^^ check out my other thread about this. I posted up two pics that shows how the tires look different.

Those are the rear tires only but they are the same as the front tires. The michelin rep said its not a problem running the K1's up front and the normal spec in the rear. I plan to install this on a 20x10" wheel to avoid the stretch look.

I think no matter what you will have some stretch going on a 10.5" wheel no matter what tire you go with. Just it would look a little bit less with the non K1 spec PSS judging by my pics.

Alan

[nwills]

Originally Posted by Alan l.

^^ check out my other thread about this. I posted up two pics that shows how the tires look different.

Those are the rear tires only but they are the same as the front tires. The michelin rep said its not a problem running the K1's up front and the normal spec in the rear. I plan to install this on a 20x10" wheel to avoid the stretch look.

I think no matter what you will have some stretch going on a 10.5" wheel no matter what tire you go with. Just it would look a little bit less with the non K1 spec PSS judging by my pics.

Alan

I checked out your other thread.

Yes, it looks like a squarer tire.

I think this is my best option...I'll order the non K1's for the rear and hope to have a slightly less stretched look. Either ways, I think I'll be better off than I am now.

Thanks for the effort in getting this sorted out....very helpful!

Post some pics when you have the new wheels on your car...I'll do the same.

[Alan l.]

Yes i agree. Either way with the non K1 tire in the back you are gaining 30-40% more tread wear so they should last you much longer too. Its a heavier tire but in a car like this it doesn't really matter at all.

Alan