fast1

Just had four Michelins installed today and was given a $70 rebate. Michelin's rebate is effective from 3/20 - 4/18.

Prisoner48

I got my PS4S’s at Costco about a month ago, also got the rebate. Excellent tire!

MidEngineRules

N spec?

jbaker136

What size tires did you have installed?

Big Swole

How's N spec different?

CaymanSinAR

We as consumers don't know specifically, but Porsche engineers work with tire manufacturer engineers to meet specific testing guidelines. Presumably the biggest factor is in the compound.

Well, I guess we do know one thing for certain, N spec tires are more expensive.

If I remember correctly the tire manufacturers fund the collaboration and make up for it with the extra cost of N spec tires.

Other car manufacturers do the same thing. Pretty sure Ferrari tires are K spec. Can't remember the others.

Code

N Spec means the tread compounds across the face of the tire, as well as belt composition, is designed specifically for Porsche suspension geometry to optimize tire wear and performance. I went to a Michelin seminar not long ago and they went into this in great detail.

High level info can be found here:
https://www.porschespokane.com/porsc...res-explained/

Design and Testing

Porsche designs and manufacturers some of the highest performance vehicles in the world. Because of the essential role that tires play in vehicle performance, Porsche has integrated tires in the design process throughout vehicle development. Porsche original equipment tires must successfully pass the tire company’s laboratory tests, road tests and race track evaluations to confirm that prototype tires meet Porsche’s noise, hydroplaning, handling and high-speed durability requirements. Only upon successful completion of these tests, will tires be released for production.

Branded as N-Spec

Production tires that have passed all of the tests and received Porsche’s engineering department’s release can be branded with an N-specification. The N-specification brandings include: N-0 (N-zero), N-1, N-2, N-3, N-4, N-5 or N-6. These markings on a tire’s sidewall clearly and permanently 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.

Mixing N-Spec Tires

Use only tire types tested by Porsche. Only tires with the same manufacturer and with the same specification code (e.g. “N0”, “N1” …) should be mounted on the vehicle. Tires should be replaced no less than in pairs on one axle at a time. Only tires of the same tire make and type must be used. Since many Porsche vehicles are fitted with different sized tires on their front and rear axles, this requires matching the tire brand, tire name and N-specification front to rear. While the tire manufacturers may also build other tires featuring the same name, size and speed rating as the N-specification tires for non-Porsche applications, these tires may not be branded with the Porsche N-specification because they do not share the same internal construction and/or tread compound ingredients as the N-specification tires.

Replacing N-Spec Tires

If a vehicle was originally delivered with N-specification tires that have been discontinued and are no longer available, it is recommended to replace all four tires to a higher numeric N-specification design appropriate for that vehicle. In case 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. This rule applies to all four tires on all wheel drive vehicles. Handling inconsistencies may result if this is not done.

Big Swole

Good Info and Thank you!!

Biggest question now it, If / when I buy new tires (they will be the PS4S, unless a better one is released), Is there Markings on the tire to prove the N SPEC that I can look for.
I'd hate to buy them and be told they were but not actually be N Spec.

JBoxsterK

N-Spec tires a clearly marked. The PS4s show the N0 sign, if they are real N-Spec tires

Big Swole

Perfect! Thanks!

Reborn996

Just ordered a set for my GT4 but in stock sizes Tire Rack did not show the N spec versions...

fast1

Good information, but I have some skepticism. No doubt that there are some differences between N and non N rated tires, but minimal at best and probably not detectable by 99% of drivers. If you go to tire rack and shop for 20" tires for a 981S you'll find NO and non N0 PS 4S tires, and the difference in prices between the two is significant: $48 extra for the front and $88 for the rears. So a $136 premium for four tires. I'd be surprised if Porsche doesn't collect some of that premium difference, but maybe I'm getting cynical in my old age.

One last observation. Just anecdotal but I know three 981 owners who replaced their OEM NO Pirellis with non N0 PS 4S, and each of them told me that the difference between the tires is noticeable: quieter, better traction in the rain, outstanding dry traction, and the near elimination of the tire chatter when the steering wheel is fully turned- Pirellis are notoriously loud in this condition. Actually the only regret they had was that they didn't make the tire change sooner. It would be interesting to see Tire Rack test the N and non N tires to see if there was any difference, but that could touch a nerve with Porsche.

kiznarsh

Guess who's not driving their GT4?!

Plenty of non N-rated tires that are still perfectly fine. I will say this though, for those who are leasing their cars and planning on returning them with a new set of tires: make sure it is an N-rated tire, otherwise your dealer will likely charge you because they're required to install N-rated tires when they sell vehicles as CPO cars.

I found this out when I went to get a quote from a local dealer just for kicks on my 981, and they advised me not to just throw any set of tires on there.

jbaker136

I have the PS 4S on my 997.2 Targa 4 and I love them. They are non N-spec but only because there is no N-spec in that tire in my size for that car. There are also no PS 4S for 981 19" wheels that carry the N-specification. In fact, the correct 981 19" size for the rear, 265/40ZR19 in the PS 4S only comes in a M-specification (Mercedes) and the correct 981 19" size for the front, 235/40ZR19 does not come with any dealer specification. So my only choices are to mix a standard Michelin specification for the front and a Mercedes specification compound tire for the rear or stick with the Goodyear Eagle Asymmetric 2s. My other option would be to go with the first up-size tire in the PS 4S, 245/40/ZR19 in the front and 275/40/ZR19 in the rears. This is the route I may go as these tires are only 1.2% and 1.4% larger in circumference then the correct size and I have heard there is no interference issues. If PS 4S N-spec tires in the correct sizes were available for our 981 19" wheels I would happily pay the higher price for them over a non Porsche spec but at this point I just want to find a size I can safely use. I posted about this in another thread if anyone cares to hop over there and comment. The higher price must reflect the lower volume of that N-spec tire and the higher R&D costs of working with Porsche on tire approval.

Jeff

ekam

Yes, your ***** does not fall off if you use non N-spec tires.