Alternatives to standard Goodyear and Michelin tyres

[Tokion]

WHY NOT MICHELIN PILOT SPORT 4 S?

I cannot imagine that LOTUS has not tested the Emira with MICHELIN PILOT SPORT 4 S tires.

I currently use these on my two cars, and find them to be absolutely perfect both regarding sporting abilities as well as extremely capable under rainy conditions.

I feel that LOTUS’ choice of Goodyear Eagle F1 (LTS) as the all round tire, and I am quite sure there is a business arrangement too. Of course the alternative sports (track) tire is the MICHELIN SPORT CUP 2. (LTS) However why isn’t the renown PILOT SPORT 4 S at least mentioned as an acceptable alternative? Is it even thinkable that LOTUS did not at all test this pinnacle tire during development of the Emira.

What I am trying to say is that we all understand that the Goodyear Eagle F1 was chosen and even adapted to the Emira through the LTS version. I have ordered this tire with SPORTS suspension for my I4 FE, and I shall be happy to experience it. I definitely want a proper road tire with rain capability, so I did not want to choose a dry track tire like the SPORT CUP 2 and take my chances on rainy days.

However, as I have done in the past, I would like some freedom to chose a PILOT SPORT 4 S of the right size when time comes for a tire change. Living in Japan, I may even be tempted to try certain top end BRIDGESTONE or YOKOHAMA models. And among European contenders, I think PIRELLI may have tires that also will work well.

I think it would have been preferable if LOTUS could also have given a short-list of acceptable tire alternatives to the ones they fit as OEM. This is perhaps especially valid since the Emira has now “grown” to a comparable weight just like several competing models, and it is not any longer super lightweight like Elise and Exige used to be.

I have no trouble understanding all the development at Hethel including fine-tuning the Emira exactly for the two OEM tire alternatives, and I respect that. I simply would have liked to know if LOTUS at all will recognize a limited range of alternative tires that also can be used with the Emira?

 

[kitkat]

WHY NOT MICHELIN PILOT SPORT 4 S?

I cannot imagine that LOTUS has not tested the Emira with MICHELIN PILOT SPORT 4 S tires.

I currently use these on my two cars, and find them to be absolutely perfect both regarding sporting abilities as well as extremely capable under rainy conditions.

I feel that LOTUS’ choice of Goodyear Eagle F1 (LTS) as the all round tire, and I am quite sure there is a business arrangement too. Of course the alternative sports (track) tire is the MICHELIN SPORT CUP 2. (LTS) However why isn’t the renown PILOT SPORT 4 S at least mentioned as an acceptable alternative? Is it even thinkable that LOTUS did not at all test this pinnacle tire during development of the Emira.

What I am trying to say is that we all understand that the Goodyear Eagle F1 was chosen and even adapted to the Emira through the LTS version. I have ordered this tire with SPORTS suspension for my I4 FE, and I shall be happy to experience it. I definitely want a proper road tire with rain capability, so I did not want to choose a dry track tire like the SPORT CUP 2 and take my chances on rainy days.

However, as I have done in the past, I would like some freedom to chose a PILOT SPORT 4 S of the right size when time comes for a tire change. Living in Japan, I may even be tempted to try certain top end BRIDGESTONE or YOKOHAMA models. And among European contenders, I think PIRELLI may have tires that also will work well.

I think it would have been preferable if LOTUS could also have given a short-list of acceptable tire alternatives to the ones they fit as OEM. This is perhaps especially valid since the Emira has now “grown” to a comparable weight just like several competing models, and it is not any longer super lightweight like Elise and Exige used to be.

I have no trouble understanding all the development at Hethel including fine-tuning the Emira exactly for the two OEM tire alternatives, and I respect that. I simply would have liked to know if LOTUS at all will recognize a limited range of alternative tires that also can be used with the Emira?

Absolutely nothing is stopping you from putting tires that aren't OE on your car. Go buy a set of PS4S or even the new PSS5.

Why do you need Lotus' permission or blessing?

 

[Foxy87]

Might as well look at the conti sportcontact 7, which seems to be king of the ring according to the reviews. Dont know about the PSS5 though…

 

[Tokion]

Absolutely nothing is stopping you from putting tires that aren't OE on your car. Go buy a set of PS4S or even the new PSS5.

Why do you need Lotus' permission or blessing?

Thanks kitkat. You are my favorite technical advisor for everything Emira. By the way PSS5 seems to only be available to OEMs, and not available to general purchase by the public as of this moment in time.

I am not asking for LOTUS’ «blessing». I simply think LOTUS have data from their own testing of major candidate tires that they could share with us (upcoming as well as current) Emira owners. I already have my own experiences swapping tires on three brand new Mazda RX-7 I owned in succession (FC3S before update, FC3S after update, FD3S). First one came with Pirelli P6 and a mechanical rear-wheel toe control; and this combination was outright dangerous and I nearly had a high-speed crash. I got hold of a toe control canceller custom part, and switched to Pirelli P-Zero tires (problem solved). I also tried Bridgestone and Yokohama top-end sports tires. Later I largely settled on Michelin for various cars that followed.

Anyway, I have not seen anyone else in here raising the tire question, so “I stuck my neck out (ha ha)”.

This month I will go on a business trip from Tokyo to Munich and Frankfurt in Germany. Just to get a pre-taste, I will fly business on EMIRAtes.

 

[TomAce]

Just have a look at this tire review:


From 15:00…16:30 min he talks about the Goodyear Supersport. I think Lotus made a good choice with this tire.

And then there is the new Conti Sport 7*, which shall be the new benchmark, I had the Conti Sport 3 on my M2 and it ate the rears within an ultra short time. So I hope they really have improved on this.

That’s why I endes up with Michelin as they really hold up well.

But I will give the Goodyears a fair chance and maybe they really surprise me as in the video stated. Why change them if they are performing like this?

P.S. *the Conti still seems unavailable in 295/30-20, so there should come an update as this is oem tire-size for Cayman GT4 / Spyder and Emira.

 

[kitkat]

Thanks kitkat. You are my favorite technical advisor for everything Emira. By the way PSS5 seems to only be available to OEMs, and not available to general purchase by the public as of this moment in time.

I am not asking for LOTUS’ «blessing». I simply think LOTUS have data from their own testing of major candidate tires that they could share with us (upcoming as well as current) Emira owners. I already have my own experiences swapping tires on three brand new Mazda RX-7 I owned in succession (FC3S before update, FC3S after update, FD3S). First one came with Pirelli P6 and a mechanical rear-wheel toe control; and this combination was outright dangerous and I nearly had a high-speed crash. I got hold of a toe control canceller custom part, and switched to Pirelli P-Zero tires (problem solved). I also tried Bridgestone and Yokohama top-end sports tires. Later I largely settled on Michelin for various cars that followed.

Anyway, I have not seen anyone else in here raising the tire question, so “I stuck my neck out (ha ha)”.

This month I will go on a business trip from Tokyo to Munich and Frankfurt in Germany. Just to get a pre-taste, I will fly business on EMIRAtes.

I see what you mean about sharing their own technical data. I think they probably have data like this but in the end they likely worked with two OEMs and multiple iterations of the same tires. The Lotus spec tires are probably slightly different than the non-oe spec tires would be.

In the end, I don’t think I’d even use that data, I’ll be experimenting with different tires and alignments because I have that tinkering mindset and I suspect a lot of people on the forum do as well.

Side note: wow three rx7s — that’s some rotary love right there — always loved them!

 

[dgrace]

OCD question: do the Michelins have a directional arrow? Or do they have a “this side out” marking? i.e. is the tread pattern reversed L/R?

 

[Tokion]

Just have a look at this tire review:


From 15:00…16:30 min he talks about the Goodyear Supersport. I think Lotus made a good choice with this tire.

And then there is the new Conti Sport 7*, which shall be the new benchmark, I had the Conti Sport 3 on my M2 and it ate the rears within an ultra short time. So I hope they really have improved on this.

That’s why I endes up with Michelin as they really hold up well.

But I will give the Goodyears a fair chance and maybe they really surprise me as in the video stated. Why change them if they are performing like this?

P.S. *the Conti still seems unavailable in 295/30-20, so there should come an update as this is oem tire-size for Cayman GT4 / Spyder and Emira.

Very happy that TomAce took the initiative to talk about alternative tires for the Emira. I totally agree that it is worth first getting experience with the Goodyear Eagle F1 LTS OEM tires (in my case on sports suspension on I4 FE). In the future the most natural tire for me personally to try is the Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S/5, because I already use this on my two current cars (an F31 Alpina B3 Bi-Turbo Touring and an E93 335i dual-turbo with M3 arms and bushings plus a complete Ohlins springs and shocks suspension.

I am looking forward to the Goodyears tires custom made for Emira (LTS version), and I am sure that I will enjoy them.

Down the road I will try other tires, but not until I have managed to wear the Goodyears.

Funny thing I live in walking distance from the headquarters of BRIDGESTONE in Kodaira City within Tokyo Metropolitan. Not everybody knows that Ferrari is a BRIDGESTONE OEM user. Not for every Ferrari, but their top tires are respected around the world.

 

[Tokion]

They are not directional, but they are asymmetrical, so one must pay attention to which side of the tire faces the outside, and which goes toward the inside.

 

[kitkat]

OCD question: do the Michelins have a directional arrow? Or do they have a “this side out” marking? i.e. is the tread pattern reversed L/R?

Cup 2 are not directional, but they are asymmetrical, it’s been a while since I’ve had cup 2 but I don’t remember a marking indicating which side is outside. It’s obvious which side is in and out — but I’m sure there’s a small label somewhere — you know for legal purposes.

 

[kitkat]

Very happy that TomAce took the initiative to talk about alternative tires for the Emira. I totally agree that it is worth first getting experience with the Goodyear Eagle F1 LTS OEM tires (in my case on sports suspension on I4 FE). In the future the most natural tire for me personally to try is the Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S/5, because I already use this on my two current cars (an F31 Alpina B3 Bi-Turbo Touring and an E93 335i dual-turbo with M3 arms and bushings plus a complete Ohlins springs and shocks suspension.

I am looking forward to the Goodyears tires custom made for Emira (LTS version), and I am sure that I will enjoy them.

Down the road I will try other tires, but not until I have managed to wear the Goodyears.

Funny thing I live in walking distance from the headquarters of BRIDGESTONE in Kodaira City within Tokyo Metropolitan. Not everybody knows that Ferrari is a BRIDGESTONE OEM user. Not for every Ferrari, but their top tires are respected around the world.

Time to hang outside of HQ with a sign asking for Re71RS in 245/35/20 and 295/30/20.

 

[dgrace]

Right but that means when looking at the tread pattern, one side rolls backwards, correct?

 

[kitkat]

Right but that means when looking at the tread pattern, one side rolls backwards, correct?

Correct but hopefully you’re not watching which way the angle of the tread blocks are rotating while driving the car

 

[dgrace]

Correct but hopefully you’re not watching which way the angle of the tread blocks are rotating while driving the car

Well I said it was an OCD question!

 

[kitkat]

Well I said it was an OCD question!

Great, now I can't sleep at night anymore.

 

[dgrace]

Great, now I can't sleep at night anymore.

Once you see, you can’t unsee. Just like C8 side mirrors…

 

[LuckysDad]

They're called Goodyear because they are only good for one year 🤪

 

[nelly111s]

As opposed to Michelin Ditchfinders which were popular in the 80’s.

 

[Panda47]

WHY NOT MICHELIN PILOT SPORT 4 S?

I cannot imagine that LOTUS has not tested the Emira with MICHELIN PILOT SPORT 4 S tires.

I currently use these on my two cars, and find them to be absolutely perfect both regarding sporting abilities as well as extremely capable under rainy conditions.

I feel that LOTUS’ choice of Goodyear Eagle F1 (LTS) as the all round tire, and I am quite sure there is a business arrangement too. Of course the alternative sports (track) tire is the MICHELIN SPORT CUP 2. (LTS) However why isn’t the renown PILOT SPORT 4 S at least mentioned as an acceptable alternative? Is it even thinkable that LOTUS did not at all test this pinnacle tire during development of the Emira.

What I am trying to say is that we all understand that the Goodyear Eagle F1 was chosen and even adapted to the Emira through the LTS version. I have ordered this tire with SPORTS suspension for my I4 FE, and I shall be happy to experience it. I definitely want a proper road tire with rain capability, so I did not want to choose a dry track tire like the SPORT CUP 2 and take my chances on rainy days.

However, as I have done in the past, I would like some freedom to chose a PILOT SPORT 4 S of the right size when time comes for a tire change. Living in Japan, I may even be tempted to try certain top end BRIDGESTONE or YOKOHAMA models. And among European contenders, I think PIRELLI may have tires that also will work well.

I think it would have been preferable if LOTUS could also have given a short-list of acceptable tire alternatives to the ones they fit as OEM. This is perhaps especially valid since the Emira has now “grown” to a comparable weight just like several competing models, and it is not any longer super lightweight like Elise and Exige used to be.

I have no trouble understanding all the development at Hethel including fine-tuning the Emira exactly for the two OEM tire alternatives, and I respect that. I simply would have liked to know if LOTUS at all will recognize a limited range of alternative tires that also can be used with the Emira?

I think definitely a combined business decision,on my goodyear initials LTS which I think stand for Lotus.

 

[JP__FOX]

Not on the Emira but having tried both the Goodyear Eagle F1 Supersports and the Michelin PS4S, I can see why Lotus went with the Supersports as they have a much better turn in and feel.

I'm now using the Continental Sport Contact 7's on another car and the turn in is a lot better than the PS4S too, very happy with them so just bought a them again to replace 2 of them after a few track days.

I'm also using the Michelin PS5 on a car with 17's so the other options are not available and they're great but definitely more of a comfort and road bias than the others as it's a different segment of tyre.

I'm sure the Michelin PSS5 will be a step forward from the PS4S when they're available in more than 2 OEM fitments but right now, Michelin are still using their previous generation tyre and it's not quite as class leading as it was, despite still being very good.