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There are also the Potenza S-04 Pole Position, which nobody mention here.
Are those any good?
Seems to be quiter than the RE-71R, 280tw, and of lower price tag. Although not near the MP4S on tirerack tests.
I'm sure I mentioned I'm running these tires. If not in this thread, everwhere else. Great tires.
Tire Rack tire tests are specific to BMW sedans running larger size tires on all four corners. We're driving staggered tire setups, different suspensions, centers of gravity, body roll, etc. Nice that someone is testing them, but their business is to sell, not test, tires. Street driving? I'd still be running Extreme Performance Summer tires if it wasn't for the noise. They have the potential for faster corners than my S-04s but I don't have the potential to personally drive much faster than these allow.
And who defines the categories anyway? Tire Rack appears to be the arbitrator.
TW ratings are fiction. Manufacturers will assign low numbers to make some guys think they're stickier. Or assign high high numbers for the economy crowd. Not based on any standard.
Did you experienced any of the “sluggish” cornering with the 225 at the front?
What you had before (Michelin pilot sport?) and how do they compare with the Continentals?
Sluggishness was not my impression, but my MPSS were 7 years old (from the PO who didn't put enough miles on it to wear them out) and had hardened significantly, they still had 60% tread when I dumped them. The ECS were a major improvement, but they were also newer. From what I've read, the ECS (newer design) have similar sidewall stiffness compared to the MPSS, but their tread blocks aren't quite as blocky which make them better against hydroplaning. Unfortunately I have driven all of the tires in the same condition in different sizes back to back, so it's hard to give a complete response to that question.
One major step up with the ECS has been road noise. It's gone way down with them.
What did make a difference in sluggishness was an alignment. This week I got a performance alignment and that's drastically increased how responsive the car feels. I posted my specs and experience in another thread.
Tire Rack tire tests are specific to BMW sedans running larger size tires on all four corners. We're driving staggered tire setups, different suspensions, centers of gravity, body roll, etc. Nice that someone is testing them, but their business is to sell, not test, tires. Street driving?
-- Chuck
I agree with this and it is important to keep in mind when you are interpreting the TR ratings and reviews.
I agree with this and it is important to keep in mind when you are interpreting the TR ratings and reviews.
Not so fast. The BMW is a reasonably well-balanced chassis with reasonable camber pattern. It has a slightly higher CG. It is far closer to an S2000 than it is to a nose-heavy front-wheel-drive sedan.
As far as the Firestone Firehawk Indy 500. It was an interesting tire 10 years ago. Now it is dated and far below the subjective (steering feel, brake modulation, noise, ride) and objective performance of the best new tires. There are all-season tires that match or exceed its performance.
The current Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 is a rebranded Bridgestone RE003, marketed and highly regarded in places like Australia, dating from 2016, not 2008. Firestone has named tires "Indy 500" or "Firehawk" probably since the 1930s and recycles tire names periodically.
The current Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 is a rebranded Bridgestone RE003, marketed and highly regarded in places like Australia, dating from 2016, not 2008. Firestone has named tires "Indy 500" or "Firehawk" probably since the 1930s and recycles tire names periodically.
-- Chuck
You are correct. I was incorrect on the age of the tire. And it comes in AP1 and AP2 OEM sizes.
However, it is still a significant step behind the more expensive MIchelin P4S and slightly more expensive Conti Extreme Contact.
But in practice, for street driving, virtually no one would know the difference unless they did back-to-back tests. Other factors, such as alignment and the condition of shocks and bushings, could have an equally large role in shaping the driving experience.
The Firestone tire is marketed as an Ultimate Performance Summer Tire -- third tier below Extreme and Maximum. There's no absolute scale nor is the line between so-called categories tight defined. The old A-/B+ subjectivity.
However, it is still a significant step behind the more expensive MIchelin P4S and slightly more expensive Conti Extreme Contact.
Have you used these tires on your S? What kind of use? How did you find they compare to one another?
I'm pretty skeptical about the suggestion that there is a "significant" difference between these tires that is important to typical S owner having a bit of fun on twisty back roads. I think we all have a tendency to exaggerate what are largely very minor differences and treat them like they are "significant" when in reality they are usually completely irrelevant and insignificant. I think you are correct that in practice the typical S street driver will never notice any significant differences between any of these tires
For example, here is one very detailed review of the Conti Extremecontact Sport with comparisons to the Michelin Pilot SS (one generation back from the current version). You can pretty much find whatever you want to find on the internets. https://motoiq.com/tested-continental-tire-extremecontact-sport/e
I think our energy would be better spent learning to be better drivers.
03-06-2019, 06:02 AM
Great tires.
