P Zero's
 

Why does Porsche favour the P Zero tire when, according to Tire Rack,it has such a poor resistance to hydroplaning?My car is on its 2nd set of P Zero's. I did leave the highway backwards in wet weather a few months ago,now I know why. :rolleyes:

Arnold,

The general consensus appears to be that the P-Zero is an exceptional dry handling tire. On the other hand, the S-02 is a phenomenal wet weather tire, but not as precise on dry roads in my experience with my 993TT. So they both have their strengths and weaknesses.

Some folks are suggesting that the new Michein Pilot Sport is an excellent "all-around" tire combining excellent traction and "feel" in both dry and wet weather conditions, with a great treadwear rating (220).

Arnold,

I ran two sets of P-Zero's on my C4S before I switched to the S-02's. Not only I was disappointed at how much less dry performance the S-02's have but I also noted that resistance to aquaplaning was not much different.

It is my opinion that either the S-02 or the Michelin Pilot Sport have a slightly better wet weather performance but their resistance to aquaplaning is limited by the size of the footprint of the tires.

A couple of comments: When I asked the guys at Tire Rack about the Michelins (I really like Michelins), the guy said they were great, but had a slight understeer problem - which is not ideal for a Porsche. He was not recommending them. They were really happy with the S03, however.

The current PZero "System" (Asimmetrico Rear and Direzionale Front) is supposed to help with wet weather and specifically the rear engine/rear drive combo. I have a set on my '87 Carrera, so we'll find out. Of course, I don't drive in the wet much, and I live in Southern California, so it's not wet anyway.....

Suggest you talk to the guys at the Tire Rack - they know their stuff.

Don

Have you tried the Bridgestone RE730? It is bridgestones wet-handleing tire. I run them and like them a lot. It is soon to be replaced by the RE750 which is supposed to be even better.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Don Plumley:


The current PZero "System" (Asimmetrico Rear and Direzionale Front) is supposed to help with wet weather and specifically the rear engine/rear drive combo. I have a set on my '87 Carrera, so we'll find out. Of course, I don't drive in the wet much, and I live in Southern California, so it's not wet anyway.....


Don,
What happens if the setup is Asimmetrico front tires also? I just noticed that the new 18" wheels and tires I purchased are this way. Is this not the proper setup? They all have the "N3" designation.
Thanks for your help.
Sam

Hi Sam,

I'm simply parroting what Tire Rack told me. I'm told the Asimmetrico -N3 is simply not available in in my front size therefore the D/A F/R combo is appropriate for my size wheels.

According to the Pirelli website front/rear Asimmetrico is one of the two PZero System setups.

Here is the quote from the Pirelli website:

P Zero System

Direzionale and Asimmetrico: two different tires stemming from a single advanced design concept.

Designed for use in tandem, or separately, according to the type of car, conditions of use and driving style.

P ZERO SYSTEM(TM): CONFIGURATION OPTION

1. DIRECTIONAL (Direzionale) FRONT - ASYMMETRIC (Asimmetrico) REAR
For high speed use in variable conditions of wet and dry, this configuration is particularly suited to mid- or rear-engined cars or front-engined cars with up-rated wide-section rims and tires.

2. ASYMMETRIC (Asimmetrico) FRONT AND REAR
For high speed road and track use, where the requirement for dry-surface performance may outweigh the demand for maximum resistance to aquaplaning in normal use.
This configuration is particularly suited to cars with medium- to narrow-section front tires.


So (with the caveat I'm no tire expert) I'm guessing you are fine.

Don

Don,

Thank you for the information, it is much appreciated.

Sam

Sam,

I have the same setup as yours. P-Zero Asy (N3) front and rear. Since I have the TT, they said that's the right setup for a 4-wheel drive.

I have used them all: P-Zero, S02, and Pilot Sports. Both S02 and Pilot Sports are very close. I will give them a tie. P-Zero is third. I am now thinking about changing my P-Zeros to SO3s.

Any one using S03s now?

If you want the max dry weather grip in a street tire you need to look at the BFG g-force KD's.