brh986

Alright let me see if I have this straight...

The GT3 comes with Michelin Pilot Sport 2 - a good sport street tire but not on R-compound or a racing tire of any sort.

The GT3 RS comes with PZero Corsa System - a better sport street tire almost an R compound but not quite.

The 360 CS comes with PZero Corse R-compound - an R-compound tire that can be considered a "street-legal race tire" and is better than both the GT3 and the GT3 RS stock tires.

Is that correct?

So this barber sports test is the first test showing a CS beating a GT3? 2 seconds is alot. However, the GT3 is still on street tires while the 360 CS has these R-compound tires which also the case in previous tests showing the cars to be more or less equal. Is that right?

Viken

Not quite. The GT3RS and Challenge Stradale both come with the PZero Corsa Sytem. None of these cars is equipped with the R-compound Corsa. Note that both the Corsa System and the Corsa R-compound have a 60 treadwear rating while the PS2 has a 220 rating.

brh986

Thanks for straightening me out. Do you know what 60 vs 220 tread wear rating equates too in terms of how many miles you're supposed to get out of them?

Bill_C4S

The June 2004 edition of EVO(UK) has the GT3RS up against the 360CS, Noble M400 and Lotus Exige S2. The 360 and RS run equivalent spec tires, namely the P Zero Corsa SYSTEM. For those interested in the outcome, herewith the final paragraph

" So the honours go to Stuttgart. More importantly (not to mention depressingly for all you Porschephobes), the RS had addressed the formidable GT3's flaws so completely tht the victory is nothing less than decisive. It's often said there's no such thing as the perfect car. From a purely evo perspective, having driven the GT3 RS, i beg to differ."

Viken

These treadwear ratings are not an industry standard, but they are used by individual manufacturers to compare tires within their own range. For example, the Michelin PS2 (220 treadwear) would outlast the PS Cup (80 treadwear) by 2.75 times. This, of course, assuming both tires are driven largely in a similar fashion.

I have driven my GT3 on PS2's back to back with a friend's Challenge Stradale on PZero Corsa System's and the difference in tire grip was humongous to say the least. I am anxiously waiting for the Corsa System N6 to be available in the US to try them out on my GT3.

Bob Rouleau

Viken - I agree. The Corsa System sounds like the perfect street/track tire. Since it's treadwear is the same as the Corsa R compound I suspect it has the same composition (i.e. race compound) but like the new Dunlop offers better water evacuation. Perfect for my use I'd think.

Best,

Viken

It looks like a tire company in British Columbia already has them:

http://www.1010tires.com/tire.asp?ti...o+Corsa+System

Also, I got a call from Jack who says that he was told that the Corsa System will be in the US in the next week or two. BTW, there's even a 315/30ZR18 N6 for the rear of the GT2 if anyone is interested.

wch

For whatever it's worth, Stradale owners have reported chunking in track use of unshaved System tires.

I think a lot of us are hoping for a 19" slick/race tire that will fit our cars!

Viken

Chunking can happen to any tire. How about you? Have you driven your Stradale enough (street or track) to give us some performance feedback?

wch

Viken, yes, I understand - I am not criticising the Pirellis, simply passing on owner reports. To my knowledge, chunking was reported on unshaved tires - and I have no idea how the tires were treated in terms of heat cycling, pressures, etc. I hope to take my car to the track in the next month - I have a set of P Zero Corsa's, shaved by The Tire Rack. Woodman Tires also advertises the tires, incidentally:

http://www.bobwoodmantires.com/pirelli/pzeroc.htm

When I get to the track, I will try to take careful tire temps and pressures, as well as measurements of the ceramic rotors to monitor wear. I also may play with alignment before going to the track, based on the Challenge car alignment specs, but I'm not yet sure. The car is prepped by Ferrari of Washington, and they have an extensive racing database they work from. The issue for me is finding the right track event, where I have a lot of freedom to come in and out of the pits and fool around with pyrometers, etc.

Viken

Thanks. I'd appreciate that very much. I also would like to know how you like the performance or your stock tires, when you get a chance.

Steve in FL

Viken: Thanks for finding the GT3RS reference for the "racing tyres". Based on the spelling I was pretty sure that's where it came from but didn't have time to look it up this morning.

Viken

You're welcome, Steve. It was actually quite easy as I had seen it before and knew exactly where to find it.

RF GURU

There are numerous variables affecting the performance of even identical cars on the same track by the same driver on same days on different runs. The Stig wrenched a great time for the GT3 in the wet, only attesting to the great capability of the GT3 at the limit in the wet. It is what it is. Maybe the Lambo Murcielago is not easy to drive around that tightish track and achieve a time beffitting its power specs. It is what it is, Top Gear aims more at being humorous and cultural towards regular enthusiasts of exotics, not gearhead track fanatics like many of you on this forum demanding lab quality test results. It is what it is, I enjoy Top Gear because all you nice people post them on the web for me to download, I don't even have cable TV, all monies go into the cars here : ^ ).

hatchback

Here's a scan of the recent Evo article that declared the Euro GT3 RS to be a "perfect car," well ahead of the 360CS.
http://www.elisetalk.com/forums/show...?threadid=3591