n-rated tyres - ahhh go on, read this; it's different. - Page 3 - Porsche General - PistonHeads UK

OK so in this thread, http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a... I noticed the OP is buying some n-rated tyres for his Boxster s550, and the size is 265/35/18. That's the same as the rears on my 993. So how does the same n-rated tyre match the precise handling characteristics of these two cars?

Orangecurry said: OK so in this thread, http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a... I noticed the OP is buying some n-rated tyres for his Boxster s550, and the size is 265/35/18. That's the same as the rears on my 993. So how does the same n-rated tyre match the precise handling characteristics of these two cars? Good point. And the answer? It's not that critical. BMW, MB, Peugeot and others all have specially designated tyres (Star, MO, etc) I know of no-one other than Porsche owners who even thinks about looking for these 'special' tyres for their cars. Most BMW owners will happily change the complete type of tyre construction on their cars without a care and often tell on these pages how much better their cars are.

There is a reasonable difference between N and none N rated tyres. I think the important point is that you stick to N, not that a specific N is going to make a difference. An N 265 is often as wide as a none N 285.

Ultra Violent said: There is a reasonable difference between N and none N rated tyres. I think the important point is that you stick to N, not that a specific N is going to make a difference. An N 265 is often as wide as a none N 285. no you've missed my point - I've not even mentioned non n-rated. Explain to me how a Boxster s550 and a 993 are similar, with regard to 'precise handling characteristics'? Edited by Orangecurry on Thursday 16th October 14:27

no - you seem to think i'm attempting to answer your question.

Ultra Violent said: no - you seem to think i'm attempting to answer your question. Oh - my mistake Ultra Violent said: There is a reasonable difference between N and none N rated tyres. I think the important point is that you stick to N, not that a specific N is going to make a difference. An N 265 is often as wide as a none N 285. Splendid - could you point me in the direction of what this 'reasonable difference' is? Edited by Orangecurry on Thursday 16th October 14:35

I found it years ago when I was trying to put the widest tyres possible on and that happend to be a silly wide none N which was slightly wider than a smaller N... My Lambo is funny on tyres the correct size but none recommended makes. In short N, is more to do with standards than performance within a specific make.

Ultra Violent said: In short N, is more to do with standards than performance within a specific make. I disagree. It's to do with Porsche having tested the tyre, and warranting that the car handles within Porsche's tolerances on them. Hence, I propose, a non N rated tyre can be excellent on a Porsche, but Porsche may just not have tested it, or not have very close ties with that manufacturer, so do not test their tyres as a matter of course. Which leads me to the conclusion that there's probably nothing at all wrong with N rated tyres if that's what you prefer, but there's also unlikely to be anything "wrong" with non N rated either.

Ultra Violent said: My Lambo is funny on tyres.... [dePesci]Funny how, does it amuse you?[diPesci]

Orangecurry said: Explain to me how a Boxster s550 and a 993 are similar, with regard to 'precise handling characteristics'? Because the tyre manufacturer gives the same kickback to Porsche on the sale of the tyre for either car? /cynic

Example press release from Continental... Following exhaustive testing of Continental`s new winter tire generation, sports car manufacturer Porsche has issued a release for the new ContiWinterContact TS 810 Sport. To guarantee that the `top performer` delivers excellent handling properties even during the colder months of the year, Continental has developed a novel production concept for working different rubber compounds into its winter tires. The inner side of the ContiWinterContact TS 810 Sport for Porsche has a soft winter tire compound for excellent grip on wintry roads, while the outer side of the tire is equipped with a handling-oriented, hard winter compound that supports sporty driving. Continental is the first winter tire manufacturer offering a combination of different tread compounds to specifically optimize the handling capability of winter sports tires. Winter tires, TS 810 Sport, Continental, Europe, Porsche A winter tire has to have a compound that remains flexible even at low temperatures if it is to adhere well to cold, wet roads. To achieve this, soft compounds have traditionally been preferred for winter tires. In the past this has had the effect of severely handicapped the winter driving handling of high-end sports car. With the new MCT process (MCT = Multi Component Tread), Continental`s tire developers have now resolved this problem. "The inner sides of the new ContiWinterContact TS 810 Sport for Porsche are given a soft compound for optimum adherence on ice and snow," explains Dr. Burkhard Wies, head of winter and summer tire development at Continental. "The tire’s outer side, which transmits most of the forces occurring when cornering, is given a comparatively hard compound. This ensures sporty handling properties on a par with those offered by summer tires." The tire tread pattern has a similarly intricate design: "With the new ContiWinterContact TS 810 Sport our range includes a high-tech winter tire whose extremely asymmetrical tread pattern can satisfy highest demands," reports Dr. Wies. "The outer side of the new ContiWinterContact TS 810 Sport is dominated by thin, curved CLS-Plus siping with top handling properties on dry roads. We have given the tire`s inner side thick sipes that ensure excellent grip on snow and ice." The ContiWinterContact TS 810 Sport model for the Zuffenhausen sports car manufacturer bears the supplementary `N0` identification. The bottom line is you aren't driving a reliant robin its a high performance thoroughbred which is only kept on the road by four patches of rubber, Porsche are an engineering led company known for their excellence, so why not use the tyres that have been thoroughly tested by their engineers even if you pay a few extra sheckles... fecking hell!! Edited by Grant3 on Thursday 16th October 15:37

Grant3 said: The bottom line is you aren't driving a reliant robin its a high performance thoroughbred which is only kept on the road by four patches of rubber, Porsche are an engineering led company known for their excellence, so why not use the tyres that have been thoroughly tested by their engineers even if you pay a few extra sheckles... fecking hell I think everyone is in violent agreement with you - N rated tyres are good on Porsches. The question was: how can the same N rated tyre have been optimised for both a 993 and a Boxster?

jeremyc said: Grant3 said: The bottom line is you aren't driving a reliant robin its a high performance thoroughbred which is only kept on the road by four patches of rubber, Porsche are an engineering led company known for their excellence, so why not use the tyres that have been thoroughly tested by their engineers even if you pay a few extra sheckles... fecking hell I think everyone is in violent agreement with you - N rated tyres are good on Porsches. The question was: how can the same N rated tyre have been optimised for both a 993 and a Boxster? The answer is they wont, back when god was a boy and 993's were in production the tyre would have had an N rating a list of approved tyres carying this designation would have been avalable at the time. subsequent generations of tyres will get an N rating N1 N2 N3 N0 each generation will have a tyre tested and rated at that time

Does this help? Article from a tyre suppliers site. Porsche rated tyres (N rated) "Porsche designs and manufacturers some of the highest performance vehicles in the world. Because of the integral role that tyres play in vehicle performance, Porsche has integrated tyre development throughout their process of vehicle development. To be an Original Equipment tyre provider on a Porsche vehicle or be approved by Porsche for the replacement market requires the joint product development efforts of the tyre engineers working alongside the Porsche vehicle engineers. The focus in recent radial tyre development for Porsche vehicles has primarily included optimum handling on dry surfaces and the safest possible behavior on wet surfaces, even at high speeds. tyres developed by various manufacturers, in concert with Porsche, offer a specific set of wet grip properties which few, if any, other automobile manufacturers demand in equal measure from the tyres they use on their vehicles. Tyres may be specified for a particular vehicle or range of vehicles and must successfully pass the tyre company's laboratory tests to assure that they would be capable of adequately supporting the Porsche vehicle while allowing it to reach its top speed on the German Autobahn. Additional laboratory, test track and race track tests are conducted to confirm that the prototype tyres meet Porsche's noise, hydroplaning and handling requirements. Prototype tyres will also be evaluated to assess their high-speed durability, uniformity and serviceability. Upon test completion, the tyres will be released for production. Production tyres that have passed all of the tests and received the engineering department's release can be branded with an N-specification. The N-specification brandings include: N-0 (N-zero), N-1, N-2, N-3 or N-4. These markings on a tyre's sidewall clearly identify them as approved by Porsche for their vehicles. The N-0 marking is assigned to the first approved version of a tyre design. As that design is refined externally or internally, the later significant evolutions will result in a new generation of the tyre to be branded with N-1, N-2, N-3, etc., in succession. When a completely new tyre design is approved, it receives the N-0 branding and the succession begins again. It is recommended that only matching tyres be used on Porsche vehicles. Since many Porsche vehicles are fitted with differently sized tyres on their front and rear axles, this means matching the tyre make, tyre type and N-specification. If a vehicle was originally delivered with N-specification tyres that have been discontinued and are no longer available, it is recommended to change all four tyres to a higher numeric N-specification design appropriate for that vehicle. Mixed tyre types are not permissible. It is also important to know that while Porsche N-specification tyres have been fine tuned to meet the specific performance needs of Porsche vehicles, the tyre manufacturers may also build other tyres featuring the same name, size and speed rating as the N-specification tyres for non-Porsche applications. These tyres may not be branded with the Porsche N-specification because they do not share the same internal construction and/or tread compound ingredients as the N-specification tyres. Using tyres that are not N-specific is not recommended and mixing them with other N-specification tyres is not permissable." HTH

Orangecurry said: OK so in this thread, http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a... I noticed the OP is buying some n-rated tyres for his Boxster s550, and the size is 265/35/18. That's the same as the rears on my 993. So how does the same n-rated tyre match the precise handling characteristics of these two cars? So are you saying that both cars had these same tyres as standard fit ?? Also I always thought it was more important that the rear tyres on a 911 especially were stamped with 'extra load' , maybe this is standard with the N rating.

i am the one who started the thread mentioned above... i believe the cost difference between N and non-N is kind of £10 or so per corner. For me that' s enough to go for the N. Now, i know this is a reply slightly beside the initial question which was more along the lines of Why can a tyre fit correctly a 993 and a boxster s... I guess two sports cars, circa 1350kg. Weight distribution rear-biaised, both circa 250-300bhp... Not too different in the grand scheme of things. I guess some cars are way more sensitive to tyres, like a lotus elise for example, which has to have very specifique tyres, geometry, tyre pressure... There, there has to be very specific tyres.

TheBoo said: Does this help? Article from a tyre suppliers site. No - read the question again

Sandy59 said: Orangecurry said: OK so in this thread, http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a... I noticed the OP is buying some n-rated tyres for his Boxster s550, and the size is 265/35/18. That's the same as the rears on my 993. So how does the same n-rated tyre match the precise handling characteristics of these two cars? So are you saying that both cars had these same tyres as standard fit ?? yes Sandy59 said: Also I always thought it was more important that the rear tyres on a 911 especially were stamped with 'extra load' , maybe this is standard with the N rating. XL is part of the Load Index designation, and as you correctly say they don't bother stamping this info on the tyre if the tyre is n-rated.

...my mistake for assuming we were using English as a form of communication. N rated tyres are a 'standard', by definition. A 'standard' is typically an absolute measure. Performance is a relative measure in this context. I have no doubt there are very good non-N rated tyres, by what ever measure you happen to be worried about. The example I gave made it clear that there is an absolute difference in size between non-N and N for specific brands. Not once did I claim non-N tyres were a 'worse' tyre.

erics said: i am the one who started the thread mentioned above... i believe the cost difference between N and non-N is kind of £10 or so per corner. For me that' s enough to go for the N. I still haven't mentioned non n-rated tyres erics said: Why can a tyre fit correctly a 993 and a boxster s?... I guess two sports cars, circa 1350kg. Weight distribution rear-biaised, both circa 250-300bhp... Not too different in the grand scheme of things. mid engine vs engine out-behind-the-rear-drive-shafts? New chassis design vs 1992 chassis design?

so.... are we daring to suggest that the current n-rated tyres are not suitable for a 993 or even a 996?

I am aware that my knowledge of tyres in particular is rather limited but how would you actually go about optimising the same tyre for two different cars? Regardless of the layout and weight distribution of the car surely the performance end-goal would be the same no matter what car the tyre was going onto? I.e, the same tyre could be used on a Boxster and a 993 because their relative performance goals would be same.

VR6time said: My understanding is that Porsche select N rated tyres for their aditional grip, wear rate, Roadnoise and safety levels. So how did P-Zero Rosso's slip under the radar?!

My understanding is that Porsche select N rated tyres for their aditional grip, wear rate, Roadnoise and safety levels. It is not about optimising tyres for a specific car. Just because the same tyre happens to fit 2 cars, does not mean the whole Myth around N rated tyres is out in the open. It just means that the 2 cars have the same size wheels. But you lot with your permanent sceptascism about paying possibly £5 per tyre extra for what Porsche believe to be a superior Tyre will never be satisfied. Why not believe the company that you have pledged aliegance to by buying one of their cars? Edited by VR6time on Thursday 16th October 17:18

Ultra Violent said: ...my mistake for assuming we were using English as a form of communication. N rated tyres are a 'standard', by definition. A 'standard' is typically an absolute measure. Performance is a relative measure in this context. I have no doubt there are very good non-N rated tyres, by what ever measure you happen to be worried about. The example I gave made it clear that there is an absolute difference in size between non-N and N for specific brands. Not once did I claim non-N tyres were a 'worse' tyre. No - your mistake is getting on our high horse. We're not disagreeing on the terminology. You said N rating is "more to do with standards than performance within a specific make". I agree that's a factor. The thing I was disagreeing with is that that's what it's "more to do with". I suggest it's more to do with the tyre manufacturer's Porsche have the closest ties with, so their tyres get tested and hence approved or not. I do agree that when possible, given the only marginal difference in price, people may as well fit N rated tyres. I personally don't because Porsche don't test any of the latest generations of tyres with my particular car (the 968) in mind.

DSM2 said: BMW, MB, Peugeot and others all have specially designated tyres (Star, MO, etc) I know of no-one other than Porsche owners who even thinks about looking for these 'special' tyres for their cars. I can tell you that people on the Merc forums get very worked up about this. Many insist the insurance will be invalid, but mine didn't have MO tyres on from new. I have pointed out the absurdity of insisting that current day MO (Mercedes Option) tyres are used on 10 year old cars but they don't care. Do they really think MB go back and retest new tyres on every model they've ever built? And there's a much wider range of car types in Mercedes than there is Porsche - so the belief that one tyre will suit all cars is ridiculous. My next door neighbour has a Boxster S and he told me his insurance states he has to use N tyres - no idea if that's true though.

The op said ....... 235/35 zr 18. This has probably been done again and again, but i need advice as to where to get a set of michelin pilot sport new rear tyres for my boxster s 550 spyder.I think the size is 235/35 zr 18.I Sigh!

flatfour said: The op said ....... 235/35 zr 18. This has probably been done again and again, but i need advice as to where to get a set of michelin pilot sport new rear tyres for my boxster s 550 spyder.I think the size is 235/35 zr 18.I Sigh! www.event-tyres.co.uk They will come to your house/office to fit them.

TheBoo said: Does this help? Article from a tyre suppliers site. Porsche rated tyres (N rated) Lots of stuff about tyres but including.... TheBoo said: If a vehicle was originally delivered with N-specification tyres that have been discontinued and are no longer available, it is recommended to change all four tyres to a higher numeric N-specification design appropriate for that vehicle. Mixed tyre types are not permissible. which doesn't make sense, being as earlier in the article it said: TheBoo said: When a completely new tyre design is approved, it receives the N-0 branding and the succession begins again. So, if you have one worn axle set and the same tyre with the same N-rating is not available, you should change all four. However, it says you should change them "for a higher N number" despite having said previously that the very latest N rated tyre available could be an N0. I guess they write all this stuff never expecting a pedant to scrutinize it and notice their self-contradiction

Deva Link said: DSM2 said: BMW, MB, Peugeot and others all have specially designated tyres (Star, MO, etc) I know of no-one other than Porsche owners who even thinks about looking for these 'special' tyres for their cars. I can tell you that people on the Merc forums get very worked up about this. Many insist the insurance will be invalid, but mine didn't have MO tyres on from new. As I stated on the last thread I had MO's on my SLK. I fitted non MO's and there was no grip when the weather got cold. Thing is the MO's were only on the REAR and they didn't make an MO for the front.

blueyes said: Deva Link said: DSM2 said: BMW, MB, Peugeot and others all have specially designated tyres (Star, MO, etc) I know of no-one other than Porsche owners who even thinks about looking for these 'special' tyres for their cars. I can tell you that people on the Merc forums get very worked up about this. Many insist the insurance will be invalid, but mine didn't have MO tyres on from new. As I stated on the last thread I had MO's on my SLK. I fitted non MO's and there was no grip when the weather got cold. Thing is the MO's were only on the REAR and they didn't make an MO for the front. That's interesting - my setup is staggered too and I wanted to fit Michelin Primacy HPs and there isn't an MO version for the size on the front, therefore it seemed pointless to be half MO. As stated, my car never had MO tyres out of the factory. It would be bonkers if the tyres really were so different front to rear as you suggest - the car would be very unbalanced. There could be several reasons why the non-MO's had no grip when cold - there's a warning out about some Pirelli tyres at the moment where they've got the rubber formulation wrong and the tyres have poor grip.

Deva Link said: blueyes said: Deva Link said: DSM2 said: BMW, MB, Peugeot and others all have specially designated tyres (Star, MO, etc) I know of no-one other than Porsche owners who even thinks about looking for these 'special' tyres for their cars. I can tell you that people on the Merc forums get very worked up about this. Many insist the insurance will be invalid, but mine didn't have MO tyres on from new. As I stated on the last thread I had MO's on my SLK. I fitted non MO's and there was no grip when the weather got cold. Thing is the MO's were only on the REAR and they didn't make an MO for the front. That's interesting - my setup is staggered too and I wanted to fit Michelin Primacy HPs and there isn't an MO version for the size on the front, therefore it seemed pointless to be half MO. As stated, my car never had MO tyres out of the factory. It would be bonkers if the tyres really were so different front to rear as you suggest - the car would be very unbalanced. There could be several reasons why the non-MO's had no grip when cold - there's a warning out about some Pirelli tyres at the moment where they've got the rubber formulation wrong and the tyres have poor grip. They were Goodyear F1 Eagles. As it got colder (5c) they got dangerous so I changed back to P Zero's and sent the F1's back to Goodyear for examination. They said there was nothing wrong with them. The problem is with the car: 260ish BHP and no weight over the rear. Hence the MO tyres on the rear only.

blueyes said: They were Goodyear F1 Eagles. As it got colder (5c) they got dangerous so I changed back to P Zero's and sent the F1's back to Goodyear for examination. They said there was nothing wrong with them. The problem is with the car: 260ish BHP and no weight over the rear. Hence the MO tyres on the rear only. All tyres fall off at around 7C - I guess they vary in how much though. Winter tyres are recommended for regular running at 7C and under. Fair number of people on the Merc forum use them, sometimes year round. One described it as a "night and day" difference. They last well too these days.

Deva Link said: blueyes said: They were Goodyear F1 Eagles. As it got colder (5c) they got dangerous so I changed back to P Zero's and sent the F1's back to Goodyear for examination. They said there was nothing wrong with them. The problem is with the car: 260ish BHP and no weight over the rear. Hence the MO tyres on the rear only. All tyres fall off at around 7C - I guess they vary in how much though. MO's ran fine down to below zero with very little difference. At anything below 10c on the F1's, the T/C light would flash in 1st 2nd and 3rd gears. Probably fine on other cars: more weight over the rear, warm up faster, and stay warm. The F1's were stone cold after a 40 min drive. Like you, I wouldn't have believed the difference between two tyres had I not experienced it and wasted £300+.

flatfour said: The op said ....... 235/35 zr 18. This has probably been done again and again, but i need advice as to where to get a set of michelin pilot sport new rear tyres for my boxster s 550 spyder.I think the size is 235/35 zr 18.I Sigh! costco can get any michelin tyres in ,they use nitrogen as standard and didn't charge me any premium for the n rated version .

bimsb6 said: flatfour said: The op said ....... 235/35 zr 18. This has probably been done again and again, but i need advice as to where to get a set of michelin pilot sport new rear tyres for my boxster s 550 spyder.I think the size is 235/35 zr 18.I Sigh! costco can get any michelin tyres in ,they use nitrogen as standard and didn't charge me any premium for the n rated version . ...and they've got 20% off if you buy 4 tyres (note you can buy any 4 tyres, so you could buy a couple for your Porsche and it might even be worth buying 2 of the cheapest tyres they have if you don't have another vehicle to put a couple of tyres on). Offer runs from something like 20th Oct for 4wks.

Orangecurry said: Ultra Violent said: no - you seem to think i'm attempting to answer your question. Oh - my mistake Ultra Violent said: There is a reasonable difference between N and none N rated tyres. I think the important point is that you stick to N, not that a specific N is going to make a difference. An N 265 is often as wide as a none N 285. Splendid - could you point me in the direction of what this 'reasonable difference' is? Edited by Orangecurry on Thursday 16th October 14:35 Hi The "reasonable difference" is usually around £100 MORE for the N rated lol... (using Falkens - non N rated)

Brett928S2 said: (using Falkens - non N rated) Yes but all know the 928S2 doesn't count as a real Porsche, so you CAN fit any tyre you like

Grant3 said: Brett928S2 said: (using Falkens - non N rated) Yes but all know the 928S2 doesn't count as a real Porsche, so you CAN fit any tyre you like Hi I run the same sizes (18`s) as a 996/997......and the only REAL Porsches have 8 cylinders......

Brett928S2 said: the only REAL Porsches have 8 cylinders...... You have a Cayenne in drag then P.S. I Love the 928 really , had a 928GT back in the 90's a great beast of a car.

Using N tyres is best, but not using N tyres - is perfectly fine too - truth or rubbish? Porsche are the "world’s finest exotic performance cars with some of the same capabilities found in previous generations of racecars." Yet Ferrari, Aston Martin, Bentley, McLaren, do not have special types from the usual tyre manufacturers (as Porsche/Mercedes/Peugeot do) - yet they drive to the limit as much as a Porsche (maybe more). Surely that proves that non-N tyres on a Porsche is perfectly fine and safe? Im not tracking my Porsche, nor driving it to limits. Porsche say "mixing them with other N-specification tyres is not permissable" What are the implications for MOT and insurance - are using non-N, or mixed N/non-N tyres a legal/insurance issue if you crash?

gijap said: Using N tyres is best, but not using N tyres - is perfectly fine too - truth or rubbish? Porsche are the "world’s finest exotic performance cars with some of the same capabilities found in previous generations of racecars." Yet Ferrari, Aston Martin, Bentley, McLaren, do not have special types from the usual tyre manufacturers (as Porsche/Mercedes/Peugeot do) - yet they drive to the limit as much as a Porsche (maybe more). Surely that proves that non-N tyres on a Porsche is perfectly fine and safe? Im not tracking my Porsche, nor driving it to limits. Porsche say "mixing them with other N-specification tyres is not permissable" What are the implications for MOT and insurance - are using non-N, or mixed N/non-N tyres a legal/insurance issue if you crash? Uh....Ferrari -> K1, McLaren -> MC

gijap said: Using N tyres is best, but not using N tyres - is perfectly fine too - truth or rubbish? Porsche are the "world’s finest exotic performance cars with some of the same capabilities found in previous generations of racecars." Yet Ferrari, Aston Martin, Bentley, McLaren, do not have special types from the usual tyre manufacturers (as Porsche/Mercedes/Peugeot do) - yet they drive to the limit as much as a Porsche (maybe more). Surely that proves that non-N tyres on a Porsche is perfectly fine and safe? Im not tracking my Porsche, nor driving it to limits. Porsche say "mixing them with other N-specification tyres is not permissable" What are the implications for MOT and insurance - are using non-N, or mixed N/non-N tyres a legal/insurance issue if you crash? Why do you think those manufacturers don’t use OE spec tyres?

gijap said: Using N tyres is best, but not using N tyres - is perfectly fine too - truth or rubbish? Porsche are the "world’s finest exotic performance cars with some of the same capabilities found in previous generations of racecars." Yet Ferrari, Aston Martin, Bentley, McLaren, do not have special types from the usual tyre manufacturers (as Porsche/Mercedes/Peugeot do) - yet they drive to the limit as much as a Porsche (maybe more). Surely that proves that non-N tyres on a Porsche is perfectly fine and safe? Im not tracking my Porsche, nor driving it to limits. Porsche say "mixing them with other N-specification tyres is not permissable" What are the implications for MOT and insurance - are using non-N, or mixed N/non-N tyres a legal/insurance issue if you crash? OK, so you're replying to a topic that is now 16 years old. However... All those manufacturers do use brand specific tyres. The difference between branded tyres and non branded is the manufacturer signs them off to say they offer what they want from a tyre. I'm sure this often happens with the standard off the shelf tyre, however, when it doesn't it allows the manufacturer to tweak the tyre so it does. Example is the Michelin PS2, the N rated version has a much firmer compound on the outside edge than the standard off the shelf tyre, this gave Porsche a much sharper, more precise steering feel off centre which is what they wanted. You can really feel the difference when you do put on the non N rated version too, I hated the non N rated one and this was what got me asking questions a few years ago. I just presumed it was a way for Porsche, or who ever, to make a bit of extra money, not the case. BMW, Aston and I guess many others apparently all do the same. MOT, Insurance? They just want them to be the correct size, speed and weight rating and in good condition.

There is a separate list of recommended N rated tyres for "Classic" Porsches such as 993's https://assets-v2.porsche.com/gb/-/media/Project/P...

You are right, they were not optimised for a specific model….. but now they are. You will now see a second identifier such as NO1 NA1 ND1 etc etc for different models of Porsche

Porsche have recently relaxed the requirements for use of N rated tyres - no long essential for the extended warranty to be valid. It is "recommended" that you use them, but not "mandatory". Unless you are driving on the track at the absolute limit of traction, I think N rated tyres are a waste of money. Yes they may only be a few pounds more per wheel, BUT it is quite common, when having to replace only one tyre, that the N1 tyre that you have had on the wheels is no longer available, only an N2. I have in the past had to replace 3 perfectly fine tyres in order to keep the same N rating - total insanity for a car that (ahem) never goes above 70mph.

jackliebling said: Porsche have recently relaxed the requirements for use of N rated tyres - no long essential for the extended warranty to be valid. It is "recommended" that you use them, but not "mandatory". Unless you are driving on the track at the absolute limit of traction, I think N rated tyres are a waste of money. Yes they may only be a few pounds more per wheel, BUT it is quite common, when having to replace only one tyre, that the N1 tyre that you have had on the wheels is no longer available, only an N2. I have in the past had to replace 3 perfectly fine tyres in order to keep the same N rating - total insanity for a car that (ahem) never goes above 70mph. You'd have to be an absolute hethan or cretin to run a Porsche and even consider changing 1 or 3 tyres anyway.

Was watching the Daytona 24hr and they asked the head of michelin about the N rated tyres for Porsche and if they were different. He replied saying the construction of the tyre is different and is made to meet the requirements of Porsche. Thought it was interesting although he isn't going to say "they are exactly the same but we just charge more....because Porsche".