mdrums

That is because they do not sell Toyo. The Pirelli Corsa System and Michelin Sport Cups are awesome tires but from what I have seen during DE's the Toyo's grip as good (some say better), just as fast, warm up easier and last longer with more heat cycles. The price between the Michelin and Toyo's is not that huge of a difference.

RonCT

You can get the R888 from Tire Rack - it's a special order and their prices are in line with the market. As I've posted elsewhere, when comparing TraqaMate data, I can say that the R888 provides about 1/10 G more braking and lateral grip, which should translate into faster lap times. The two cars weren't exactly set up the same, so this wasn't purely scientific. But I will say the 19" PSCup provided the same data points as the 19" PS2, while the R888 had slightly better numbers.

Brian S

hmm I have trouble believing the cup and the ps2 provided the same data, which kind of invalidates your numbers in my mind but I have heard that the mpsc's for our car do not have the proper compound of the ones I have used before on my cayman so maybe.

I think I will get some R6's for the summer, and then try some R888's in a couple of months. they sound worth at least testing but I still wonder why Porsche went from MPSC's on all their cars in 2006 and prior to the Corsa. Maybe it is just a better deal for them, or maybe the suspension is more closely designed around that tire.

03-turbo911

Porsche used the Corsa system tires first on the 996 GT3 RS so they weren't a new addition to the 997 GT3.

mdrums

The R6 would be the way to go but I drive my car to the track so the R6 will not work.

Brian S

That is good to know about the R6, the guys over at wheel enhancements take porsche wheels for trade-ins and I happen to have a set of cayman 19" sport design's with new tires that they'll give me $2000 for so it kind of changes my direction. The champions are still wicked expensive though. Supposedly 10 pounds lighter per rear and 5 pounds per front, for a total savings of 30 pounds on the wheels alone.

RonCT

I posted all of the PSCup vs. PS2 elsewhere and Porsche / Michelin did confirm the 19" Porsche approved PSCup is a "reformulated and redesigned" tire to provide better cold / wet performance. That's probably the only way the legal department would let them deliver new cars with it. What kills me is the 19" Cup performs EXACTLY like the PS2 (confirmed again at Watkins Glen a week ago), but gives you 6/32 instead of 10/32, and isn't as good in the rain. So, pay more $ for less tire that performs the same. GT3 should have come with the PS2, Michelin should have made a real Cup in 19", etc.

Brian S

My only experience with the cups was from 18", and they were great. that's really sad to reformulate them for the 19" street variety. Pirelli really likes their tires too.

that kind of skews all types of magazine articles even more now if porsche's are being tested with PS2 equiv tires instead of dot-r's like many other cars.

mooty

mpsc that came on 997gt3 are POS, good for my bicycle.

mpsc and R888 and RA1 are very similar in lap time, depending on how you drive, track temp and during what period of their life cycle as well as well you can keep your tires at a consistent temp lap after lap. for example if you are off 3psi on mpsc, they are uselss, but on RA1, it doesnt matter.

nat3970

RonCT I just bought the PSCups after having PS2's thinking that I was going to get a performance advantage under dry track conditions. Your post was a real eye opener...needless to say wish I had either saved the $$$ and went for longer life/better wet performance of PS2's or alternately had gone with Toyo R888. Live and learn I guess.....

RonCT

It was like pulling teeth to get the low-down on the 19" PSCups. I had to find out the hard way myself and buy a set, but once I had them on the track, I knew...

mooty

nat and ron, it appears that you are talking about the 19" mpsc; if so, they are NOT real cups.

real cups are faster than PS2, no brainer.
the cups that are on the GT3 as delivered are just some rubber with "cup" written on them. it's NIGHT and DAY.

RonCT

Exactly what I was trying to convey. I've driven Real Cups and they are fantastic, but scary in the cold and wet. The 19" Cup that comes on the GT3 has cup "bones", an almost-cup design (slightly different shoulder, very different rain channels, etc.) and has what I'd call PS2 compound.

mooty

right on.

and yes, real mpsc is not a good choice when wet or cold.

SixSpeed

When you run 18-inch wheels with the 245 and 305 tires, what are the profiles on those tires?