LaFerrari tire (Source: wikipedia.org)
The torque. The horsepower. The alignment and capacity of the engine. The latest development in increasing aerodynamic capabilities. All the things that are most important about a new supercar can be completely nullified in a second if the tires supporting that classy chassis are bunk.
So who takes the cake in shoeing the supers?
After comparing the manufacturers for the original tires placed on 20 recently released super cars, there was no arguing which cobbler was best. Michelin’s Super Sport tires fitted an overwhelming number of the supercars, ranging from the Koenigsegg Agera R to the Bugatti Veyron to the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Roadster. Second to the Super Sports were Pirelli’s P Zero tires, tearing up roads from underneath McLaren P1s, Mosler MT900s and Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4s.
Bugatti Veyron getting tires changed (Source: wallpepersus.com)
The design of a super tire begins with racing in mind. Ultimate traction and durability need to completely infiltrate the tire’s every fiber, as described by a Michelin representative in a 2006 interview with Motor Trend Magazine. “Supercar tires must withstand the increased horsepower, torque, traction, aerodynamic loading, high-speed stability and other engineering demands imposed by the Supercar chassis and manufacturer.” The representative continued on: “The technology employed in the engineering of supercar tires is much closer to racing tire technology than that of standard radial tires because the manufacturer’s specifications – or acceptance criteria – are far more demanding.”
Pirelli P-Zero Corsa (Source: tyreshop.ie)
Despite a speedy heart, they still need to embody the best traits of standard tires in their finished state. While different tires can be switched out on the track if a cumulonimbus shades the sun, a super tire needs to be compatible with all types of weather. It also needs to be able to handle all types of terrain and stress, even stop and go traffic, while retaining their ability to wipe the track with any other car that comes its way.
Below you can find our list of some of the top kicks for top supercars, listed from least to most expensive, with prices provided by tirerack.com or U.S. based dealerships.
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