Standard tyres: why do they make the difference?

When developing a high-performance car, manufacturers often take part in creating the rubber compound that the vehicle will use. After all, tyres are the only points of contact with the road and can make a huge difference to handling and braking characteristics.

High-performance original equipment tyres are usually expensive, and many owners who need to replace them will opt for the same design in customer specifications or choose any other product available, assuming the wheels also remain at factory sizes. But are these standard tyres simply products with the same name at a higher price, or do they have better qualities that make them stand out?

Are standard tyres better?

To find out, Jonathan Benson of Tire Reviews visited Michelin’s facilities in France. The test mule chosen was an BMW M3. The BMW M3 G80 is fitted with Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tyres, an evolution of the tyre approved by BMW. At present, it is only available in the G80’s tyre sizes, 275/35 R19 at the front and 285/30 R20 at the rear.

One of the key differences between the two tyres lies in their construction and compounds. The Pilot Sport 4S from the aftermarket consists of two compounds designed to work harmoniously to produce a high-performance road experience. The OEM tyre developed to BMW’s specifications has four compounds to work exactly as the car manufacturer envisaged. Looking at the two tyres, you can even see changes in the position of the grooves.

In total, BMW and Michelin took two and a half years to plan and develop the tyre. BMW tested up to 30 different prototypes on five different tracks before finally settling on a design that would work. The differences in the OEM tyres are noticeable immediately. According to Jonathan Benson, “steering response and control are sharper, eliminating any possible understeer present with the aftermarket tyres. They give the car an extra element of predictability and a sense of confidence and control at the wheel. The dry lap times confirmed the difference that OEM tyres make.”

https://youtu.be/COA630Juf_U