n-rated tyres - ahhh go on, read this; it's different.
Discussion
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 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.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?
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.
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
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.
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.
/cynicExample 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!!
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?
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
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 ??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?
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.
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.
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 ?? 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?
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.
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?
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