New / updated N rated Pirelli P Zero Rosso tires
07-02-2016 | 06:57 PM
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Burning Brakes
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New / updated N rated Pirelli P Zero Rosso tires
I recently read in a British Porsche magazine that Pirelli has updated it’s N rated P Zero Rosso tires. They claim improved wet grip and reduced rolling resistance. Same tread pattern though, so probably still not brilliant in acquaplaning situations.
Still, there are few good tires available in the 17” sizes for our cars – possibly just the 3 N rated tires with a Y rating, in fact. So this looks tempting. The Rossos were already, according to Porsche, the best of the N rated tires in the wet.
Of course, while Pirelli has gotten some plublicity with this – the magazine had a picture of Walter Rohl holding the tire – manufacturers regularly use newer rubber compounds and carcasses on older tires. What doesn’t change is the tread pattern. Maybe Michelin has done the same. But my understanding is that the Michelins were quite weak in the wet and also very loud. (My personal experience says both problems are very real – but that’s based on 2007 tires in 2014, so not a very fair test.) So, if according to Porsche the Michelin PS2s weren't as good as the old Rossos in the wet, I'd be very reluctant to go them unless I knew for sure they had been greatly improved.
On the other hand, the Rossos don’t have the best reputations, the N versions seem unloved on this forum, and my experience with another car was negative, at least in the wet. BUT they are Evo’s choice for 996s. I believe the N versions were introduced with the C4S, which everyone loved. And I recently got a lot of experience trying 2014 Rossos on a 996 in the 18” size and I thought they were great fun. The rear was a bit looser in the wet – same thing I remember from trying them on another car. But in the dry, precise and lively compared to my 17s, and very little lost in ride quality from moving to 18”. (By the way, I am using Sottozeros in the winter (great tire), and Eagle F1 Assymetric 2s in the summer, but with 225s in the front (they don’t do 205s, and this tire in the 225 size does not work very well on our narrow 17” front wheels, I’ve found.))
Anyway, that’s what I know. Has anyone else heard anything about these? Or tried them???
Still, there are few good tires available in the 17” sizes for our cars – possibly just the 3 N rated tires with a Y rating, in fact. So this looks tempting. The Rossos were already, according to Porsche, the best of the N rated tires in the wet.
Of course, while Pirelli has gotten some plublicity with this – the magazine had a picture of Walter Rohl holding the tire – manufacturers regularly use newer rubber compounds and carcasses on older tires. What doesn’t change is the tread pattern. Maybe Michelin has done the same. But my understanding is that the Michelins were quite weak in the wet and also very loud. (My personal experience says both problems are very real – but that’s based on 2007 tires in 2014, so not a very fair test.) So, if according to Porsche the Michelin PS2s weren't as good as the old Rossos in the wet, I'd be very reluctant to go them unless I knew for sure they had been greatly improved.
On the other hand, the Rossos don’t have the best reputations, the N versions seem unloved on this forum, and my experience with another car was negative, at least in the wet. BUT they are Evo’s choice for 996s. I believe the N versions were introduced with the C4S, which everyone loved. And I recently got a lot of experience trying 2014 Rossos on a 996 in the 18” size and I thought they were great fun. The rear was a bit looser in the wet – same thing I remember from trying them on another car. But in the dry, precise and lively compared to my 17s, and very little lost in ride quality from moving to 18”. (By the way, I am using Sottozeros in the winter (great tire), and Eagle F1 Assymetric 2s in the summer, but with 225s in the front (they don’t do 205s, and this tire in the 225 size does not work very well on our narrow 17” front wheels, I’ve found.))
Anyway, that’s what I know. Has anyone else heard anything about these? Or tried them???
Last edited by rs10; 07-03-2016 at 07:43 PM.
07-02-2016 | 10:56 PM
#2
Race Car
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 3,807
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From: Melbourne, Australia
I have Michelin pilot sport 2s upfront P zeros at the back about to change to pirelli P zero N rated all round.
Youre correct though, much more love for Michelin on here than the pirellis
Youre correct though, much more love for Michelin on here than the pirellis
