Michelin pilot sport tires are a genuine ultra high performance summer tire and they are available in a size we can use. 255-50-16. it is actually the size PAS wanted to be standard on our cars.
They sell for $550.00 each. Unless you live in England or Europe, then you pay about £339.00 with free shipping.
It is not yet necessary to buy these tires because goodyear still makes good tires for our car, but that will probably end. When we are abandoned by goodyear, we will still be able to get something of quality and something that has proper summer performance capability. Sure it will cost over $2,000, but at least it will be available. And michelin pilot sport is probably better than the goodyear gsd3 anyway. I think it has a softer, stickier tread compound.
Why would Michelin make a good tire in a size we can use when the rest of the world has moved on to 18-24" wheels?
Because they are made for the owners of Ferrari Testarossas. The ferrari owners are not interested in buying minivan type tires for their cars just because they use an old 16" size. They also are not going to refit their ferraris with ghetto wheels just to be able to buy proper tires. Plus, the ferrari dealers would look pretty stupid if they could not supply tires to such an expensive and exotic car for which they can supply all other parts. So, Michelin makes their best pilot sport tires in an old antiquated size, just to please the ferrari people. And while their car is in for a $5,000 belt change, the can add $1100 for 2 rear tires. They call it a "while you are in there" item.)
The great thing about this is that we will never be without a genuine ultra high performance tire for our cars, because michelin faithfully supplies ferraris no matter how old they are. They build correct new tires for ferarris even when they are 50 years old. Not reproduction tires, but real production michelin tires from the michelin factory in france. We are lucky to be able to use a ferrari testarossa size. Without that we would surely have been abandoned eventually.
I think also, in europe, the government might make you use tires that are at least as good as the originals that the car came with, and if michelin did not make these tires for the testarossas, the testarossas would not pass inspection, because the only other tires available in that size is cheap tires that don't match the original specs of the Goodyear Eagle ZR50 that the cars came with. And they don't let you use 20 year old tires either. And goodyear has not capitulated. If they ever do, we will be able to get gatorback tires again that will fit our cars.
Oh yes, if you want to buy the incredible Michelin pilot sport tires, you can order them from Longstone Tyre or Vintage Tyre in England. It may be that Coker tire in the usa can order them special. Coker carries michelin in all the other special old tires they make for mercedes benz, porsche, ferrari, etc.
By the way, if you want a lower profile tire, you can get 245 45 16 in an excellent Michelin Pilot SX MXX3, which Michelin makes for Classic Porsche 993's from the 1990's. Same pricing. Costs a lot because they are made in small quantities for rich people. Those MXX3 tires are incredible. They have a treadware of 140. Very sticky like a Pirelli P Zero. Stick like glue and wear out in 10k miles.
They sell for $550.00 each. Unless you live in England or Europe, then you pay about £339.00 with free shipping.
It is not yet necessary to buy these tires because goodyear still makes good tires for our car, but that will probably end. When we are abandoned by goodyear, we will still be able to get something of quality and something that has proper summer performance capability. Sure it will cost over $2,000, but at least it will be available. And michelin pilot sport is probably better than the goodyear gsd3 anyway. I think it has a softer, stickier tread compound.
Why would Michelin make a good tire in a size we can use when the rest of the world has moved on to 18-24" wheels?
Because they are made for the owners of Ferrari Testarossas. The ferrari owners are not interested in buying minivan type tires for their cars just because they use an old 16" size. They also are not going to refit their ferraris with ghetto wheels just to be able to buy proper tires. Plus, the ferrari dealers would look pretty stupid if they could not supply tires to such an expensive and exotic car for which they can supply all other parts. So, Michelin makes their best pilot sport tires in an old antiquated size, just to please the ferrari people. And while their car is in for a $5,000 belt change, the can add $1100 for 2 rear tires. They call it a "while you are in there" item.)
The great thing about this is that we will never be without a genuine ultra high performance tire for our cars, because michelin faithfully supplies ferraris no matter how old they are. They build correct new tires for ferarris even when they are 50 years old. Not reproduction tires, but real production michelin tires from the michelin factory in france. We are lucky to be able to use a ferrari testarossa size. Without that we would surely have been abandoned eventually.
I think also, in europe, the government might make you use tires that are at least as good as the originals that the car came with, and if michelin did not make these tires for the testarossas, the testarossas would not pass inspection, because the only other tires available in that size is cheap tires that don't match the original specs of the Goodyear Eagle ZR50 that the cars came with. And they don't let you use 20 year old tires either. And goodyear has not capitulated. If they ever do, we will be able to get gatorback tires again that will fit our cars.
Oh yes, if you want to buy the incredible Michelin pilot sport tires, you can order them from Longstone Tyre or Vintage Tyre in England. It may be that Coker tire in the usa can order them special. Coker carries michelin in all the other special old tires they make for mercedes benz, porsche, ferrari, etc.
By the way, if you want a lower profile tire, you can get 245 45 16 in an excellent Michelin Pilot SX MXX3, which Michelin makes for Classic Porsche 993's from the 1990's. Same pricing. Costs a lot because they are made in small quantities for rich people. Those MXX3 tires are incredible. They have a treadware of 140. Very sticky like a Pirelli P Zero. Stick like glue and wear out in 10k miles.
