The definitive Vantage tyre thread.

[V8V Pete]

Jon39 said:

The Vantage S has bigger tyres than the Vantage.
Does that mean therefore, that the Vantage S wheels are wider than the Vantage?

Original Vantage: 8.5 front with 235/40, 9.5 rear with 275/35
Vantage S (and standard V8V 2012 onwards): 8.5 front with 245/40, 10 rear with 285/35
V12 Vantage: 9 front with 255/35, 11 rear with 295/30
Not sure about GT12 & GT8.

My Vantage S currently sits on V12V rims with V12V size PS4S. No spacers are used or required (before someone says their dealer says you can't put V12V wheels on a V8V). They do not rub at all even with track use. This is just another bit of prime main dealer bullst.

Still somewhat unsure what to do with my original SP10 rims. I fancy a set of Pilot Sport Cup 2s for summer/track use but don't really want to go down a size for these and not sure I should put V12V sizes on the 8.5 & 10 inch rims. Maybe I need to buy a set of V12VS forged lightweight rims and use those for the Cup 2s ...........

Edited by V8V Pete on Wednesday 28th October 12:06

[cypriot]

Jon39 said:

The Vantage S has bigger tyres than the Vantage.
Does that mean therefore, that the Vantage S wheels are wider than the Vantage?

No, the wheels (to be crystal clear, the rims) are the exact same size and spec on the Vantage and the Vantage S. The only change is to the tyre size.

GT8 has different offset to the wheels, effectively acting like spacers, but has the same size tyres as the Vantage S.

[TR-Spider]

[quote=On`it]...
Do we have any comparisons between the Conti 6 and Goodyear?
TR spider have you any feedback in the wet?

[/quote]


I recently had the "pleasure" of driving 600km in pouring rain and relatively low outside temperatures with the
Goodyear Eagle F1 SuperSport. Excellent tire, no issues really under these dreadful conditions. With temperatures below 5°C the grip level reduced (as one would expect) - but even then there was good feedback from the tire on the available grip.

After some ~3'000km mostly on curvy roads, I can note significant difference to the PS4S in the way the edges of the tires wear.
The PS4S did round off (grind off) the outer edges of the front tires significantly more than the Goodyear.
I'm pretty sure this is due to a stiffer structure of running surface and sidewalls - which also affects the feedback (Goodyear better) and the comfort level (PS4S better). Make your pick...

[LTP]

jon- said:

Great review I can thoroughly recommend finding some sort of tyre reviews website and leaving that there too for all to see

Hi jon- love the website. It was used extensively before I took the Continental plunge.

So what can we (you) do to persuade Michelin to get the 245/40-R19 PS4S's EU approved? They'd probably immediately capture a significant chunk of the V8 Vantage renewal market - not high volumes, but think of the prestige! There must be a business case as Continental have done this.

[V8V Pete]

cypriot said:

Jon39 said:

The Vantage S has bigger tyres than the Vantage.
Does that mean therefore, that the Vantage S wheels are wider than the Vantage?

No, the wheels (to be crystal clear, the rims) are the exact same size and spec on the Vantage and the Vantage S. The only change is to the tyre size.

GT8 has different offset to the wheels, effectively acting like spacers, but has the same size tyres as the Vantage S.

No, I'm afraid this is incorrect as detailed in my previous post.

The standard V8V from 2006-2012 had 9.5 inch rear rims wearing its 275/35 tyres. The V8VS and V8V from 2012 onwards has 10 inch rear rims with the larger 285/35 tyres.

I've a feeling the tyres (and probably wheels) on GT8 were different depending on whether or not you had the standard or centre lock wheels but I'm not at all sure about this.

[alscar]

Pete , irrespective of the wheel style and whether Centre lock or conventional nut ,I think the tyres were all the same size on the GT8 - I've just glanced through the original " brochure " and it just gives the Cup 2 ,255 / 35 Front , 295 / 30 Rear option.

[V8V Pete]

alscar said:

Pete , irrespective of the wheel style and whether Centre lock or conventional nut ,I think the tyres were all the same size on the GT8 - I've just glanced through the original " brochure " and it just gives the Cup 2 ,255 / 35 Front , 295 / 30 Rear option.

Ah ok. Thanks for the info.

[jon-]

LTP said:

jon- said:

Great review I can thoroughly recommend finding some sort of tyre reviews website and leaving that there too for all to see

Hi jon- love the website. It was used extensively before I took the Continental plunge.

So what can we (you) do to persuade Michelin to get the 245/40-R19 PS4S's EU approved? They'd probably immediately capture a significant chunk of the V8 Vantage renewal market - not high volumes, but think of the prestige! There must be a business case as Continental have done this.

I've been trying for years to get them to import 18" PS4S, which already exist outside of the EU and would be higher volumes, so I wouldn't hold your breath sadly

[cypriot]

V8V Pete said:

No, I'm afraid this is incorrect as detailed in my previous post.

The standard V8V from 2006-2012 had 9.5 inch rear rims wearing its 275/35 tyres. The V8VS and V8V from 2012 onwards has 10 inch rear rims with the larger 285/35 tyres.

I've a feeling the tyres (and probably wheels) on GT8 were different depending on whether or not you had the standard or centre lock wheels but I'm not at all sure about this.

Ah sorry! I stand corrected! great knowledge there, thanks for that.

[dlgis]

Has anybody tried PS4S in 255/40/19 on a V8S fronts? The diameter of the standard sizes are:
F 245/40/19 679mm
R 285/35/19 682mm

255/40/19 = 687mm
So standard front is 3mm less than rears. 255s are 5mm more than rears. Close enough?

Max recommended tyre width on 8.5” rim is 255. So couldn’t 255s be used?

[LTP]

Just backing up digis with data from the Continental 2019-20 Tyre Data Book (data will probably be the same as in the ETRTO manual and be applicable to Michelins)



Looks like they'll fit the rims and only give a 1% increase in rolling circumference. Just a question of clearance under the wing on lock and bounce - the 255's are 12mm wider and 4mm more in unloaded radius. I'll see if I can find a similar datasheet for Michelin

[V8V Pete]

LTP said:

Just backing up digis with data from the Continental 2019-20 Tyre Data Book .......

Thanks for this as that data sheet is easily found online and confirms that it is permissible to fit V12V tyre sizes (255/35x19 & 295/30x19) to V8S rims (8.5 & 10 inches).

So: dlgis - you could just go to V12V sizes on your V8S rims and that is what I will do next Spring with a set of Cup 2s on my SP10 rims for summer/track use. Excellent!

[dlgis]

V8V Pete said:

Thanks for this as that data sheet is easily found online and confirms that it is permissible to fit V12V tyre sizes (255/35x19 & 295/30x19) to V8S rims (8.5 & 10 inches).

So: dlgis - you could just go to V12V sizes on your V8S rims and that is what I will do next Spring with a set of Cup 2s on my SP10 rims for summer/track use. Excellent!

Could do but I’d prefer to stick with 40 profile as it’s only road use. I doubt the extra width (5mm a side) will cause the tyre to foul the wheelarch or suspension but I’ll stick my head under there and check.

[LTP]

dlgis said:

Could do but I’d prefer to stick with 40 profile as it’s only road use. I doubt the extra width (5mm a side) will cause the tyre to foul the wheelarch or suspension but I’ll stick my head under there and check.

I agree. There will have been a minimum dynamic clearance within the wheel envelope when AML did the package check for the 'S' wheel/tyre sizes (unless they just encroached into the original 2003 package envelope knowing there was sufficient clearance). AML would also probably have made an allowance for snow chains.

If you do put the 255/40 front tyres on please resurrect this thread and report your findings as I, for one, would be interested.

[Anbuis]

My tire dealer put on the Bridgestone despite I asked him to put the Michelin on the car. (2007 roadster)... So, also "new produced" Bridgestone's are the same unharmonic tires as the old ones have been. So, new production (2020) is not a change to older productions... As I felt.

[jon-]

Get them to replace them

[LTP]

Anbuis said:

My tire dealer put on the Bridgestone despite I asked him to put the Michelin on the car. (2007 roadster)... So, also "new produced" Bridgestone's are the same unharmonic tires as the old ones have been. So, new production (2020) is not a change to older productions... As I felt.

I agree with jon-. if the dealer fitted something you didn't ask for, ask them to take them off and give you your old tyres back.

When I was considering the Continentals I asked my local dealer if they were allowed to fit non-approved tyres (i.e. non-Bridgestone in my case) and they told me they could, but they'd need authority and instruction in writing to do so; they even offered to source the Continentals for me and fit and balance them.

Edited by LTP on Sunday 1st November 19:27

[BigMig]

V8V Pete said:

Original Vantage: 8.5 front with 235/40, 9.5 rear with 275/35
Vantage S (and standard V8V 2012 onwards): 8.5 front with 245/40, 10 rear with 285/35

Edited by V8V Pete on Wednesday 28th October 12:06

So follow on questions to the wheel/tyre sizes, the V8V and V8VS have the same front rim width (8.5) but the V8VS runs with a 10mm wider tyre, does anyone have direct experience of whether this changes the handling and balance of the car?

i.e. has anyone with a V8V gone from 235 to 245 and noticed a difference? I presume it was done to increase front end grip a tad?

Second question, I've got my eyes on a set of V8VS wheels to run as a second set to my original sports pack wheels (8.5J and 9.5J) would the 235 and 275 combo work OK with the slightly wider rear rims, to allow me to switch tyres between wheelset?

[LTP]

BigMig said:

Second question, I've got my eyes on a set of V8VS wheels to run as a second set to my original sports pack wheels (8.5J and 9.5J) would the 235 and 275 combo work OK with the slightly wider rear rims, to allow me to switch tyres between wheelset?

According to the Continental tech brochure 275/35 ZR19 would be fine on 10" rims. In fact Continental reckons you could stretch theirs onto 11" rims

[cypriot]

BigMig said:

So follow on questions to the wheel/tyre sizes, the V8V and V8VS have the same front rim width (8.5) but the V8VS runs with a 10mm wider tyre, does anyone have direct experience of whether this changes the handling and balance of the car?

i.e. has anyone with a V8V gone from 235 to 245 and noticed a difference? I presume it was done to increase front end grip a tad?

Second question, I've got my eyes on a set of V8VS wheels to run as a second set to my original sports pack wheels (8.5J and 9.5J) would the 235 and 275 combo work OK with the slightly wider rear rims, to allow me to switch tyres between wheelset?

I am currently running 275 rear tyres on V8VS wheels, and they fit just fine! from a looks perspective, you cant tell the difference!