Michelin Tyre Question

[melhuishjames]

Hello,

I want to replace the aged V12V AM Bridgestones. I was going to default to Michelin Pilot 4S.

Noticed there is a Pilot 5S now. I’m not a tyre guru any views if stay 4S or go 5S ? Or am I out of touch and something else to look at?

I only drive on road, car is garages in the winter so summer use and mainly (spirited) road trips to Alps etc.

Thanks James

[Phil74891]

I have a slightly later V12VS. I drive it much the same as you drive yours re winter and Alp trips. Originally on Pirelli P Zero. Swapped them at 7 years old for PS4S, mainly as a result of all the hype surrounding the Michelins. Big improvement, as they were new, vs the old and almost worn out Pirellis.

Then 1,000 miles later I secured a free set of the latest Pirellis as part of a road test event. They were fitted to the car. I left them on and I honestly couldn’t tell the difference on the road between the ‘new’ Pirelli and Michelin. I’ll put the PS4S back on when the Pirellis are shot in about two years. They’ll still be young enough.

So, personally, in the future I will fit whatever I can get the best deal on between the latest Michelin, Pirelli or Continental. (Any of these will easily outperform your existing Bridgestones).

I’m sure there will be tyre gurus on here with much more exacting standards, there will also be a whole load of test videos on Youtube to add to the confusion

[DBA086]

I don’t think they sell PS5S’ in 19” sizes yet, so a PS4S is your best bet from Michelin. Apparently the new Continentals are also quite good!

[Import]

I’m running conti’s extreme contact sport on mine…happy so far..good for spirited driving…prob not racing..

[quench]

Import said:

I’m running conti’s extreme contact sport on mine…happy so far..good for spirited driving…prob not racing..

I ran PS Cup2's exclusively on my V12VS for years and decided to try the Contis this time around. All the grip you would want on the road (I have not tracked this tire) and a bit more comfortable on the ride than the PS Cup2's.

Agree with the above comments that any max performance road tire will be a big step up, and unless you are a maniac, the difference between them in road driving will be difficult to notice.

[Minglar]

Some great advice here. I must confess I didn’t know that Bridgestones were ever fitted to the early six speed V12Vs. I recently switched over from AM8 standard (non Corsa) Pirelli P Zero to Michelin PS4S and it has definitely made a difference, mainly in relation to the ride comfort and lower tyre noise. My old tyres had plenty of tread left on them, but they were quite old and had probably hardened over time, which possibly affected the ride quality. I don’t know if the 5s are available yet for the sizes you require, but one would assume a newer updated tyre would be better than the previous iteration, and as far as I am aware they are the ones AML fits to DB12. As others have said though, if your current tyres are old and the tread is low, any brand new set from any of the big names will be a big improvement. Good luck with your search. BRM.

[Calinours]

There was a useful discussion on the latest tyre preferences about a month ago.

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

[BiggaJ]

I thought Bridgestone had released a newer version of the tyre fitted as OEM by Aston ... from memory they are getting some very good reviews.

https://www.blackcircles.com/tyres/brands/bridgest...

[nickv12]

Phil74891 said:

I have a slightly later V12VS. I drive it much the same as you drive yours re winter and Alp trips. Originally on Pirelli P Zero. Swapped them at 7 years old for PS4S, mainly as a result of all the hype surrounding the Michelins. Big improvement, as they were new, vs the old and almost worn out Pirellis.

Then 1,000 miles later I secured a free set of the latest Pirellis as part of a road test event. They were fitted to the car. I left them on and I honestly couldn’t tell the difference on the road between the ‘new’ Pirelli and Michelin. I’ll put the PS4S back on when the Pirellis are shot in about two years. They’ll still be young enough.

So, personally, in the future I will fit whatever I can get the best deal on between the latest Michelin, Pirelli or Continental. (Any of these will easily outperform your existing Bridgestones).

I’m sure there will be tyre gurus on here with much more exacting standards, there will also be a whole load of test videos on Youtube to add to the confusion

This.

I swapped my few-millimetre-left original fit Pirelli P Zeros on my 2018 V12 Vantage AMR with PS4S tyres. I had no complaint of the originals. The we’re still young enough and had sufficient tread. I heard so many good things about the Michelins over the years, that perhaps I thought I’d notice. Not a bit of if.

I think those who find a transformation must either be driving gods or have swapped up from aging rubber to new stuff.

When I bought my PS4S, AM Bristol had a good deal and also had them in stock. No brainer.

Last year, the PS5S tyre was too new and not in the correct sizes.

[melhuishjames]

All - thanks for the feedback and input, really appreciate the comments, really helpful 👍

[Speedraser]

I recently replaced the 7 year old RE050s on my '09 V8V. I've never tracked the car, but I like to push it on the road when conditions permit. I did a lot of research -- magazine tests, video reviews, etc. Handling was a higher priority for me than ride or noise, and steering feel and response were more important than outright grip. The tires that seemed to score highest for my priorities were the Michelin PS4S and the new Bridgestone Potenza Sport. The newest Continental that seem to win all the latest tests isn't available in the US, nor is the new Michelin S5. There were no newly-manufactured Bridgestones available, which was odd, but that made the decision easy -- it now wears a set of PS4S. Unsurprisingly, the Michelins feel great. Steering feel and response are excellent, and they're much quieter and better-riding -- the whole car feels more refined. I also just put a set of the Potenza Sports on my '05 Vanquish S (there are only a few choices in the correct sizes, and they replaced old Michelin Pilot Supersports). First impressions are excellent -- clearly sharper steering response, comparable ride quality and no additional road noise.

[Chopdogs]

Does anyone have a view on Conti Sport Contact 6 vs 7s?

I’ve got 6’s currently and they seem fine but wondering if 7’s are a leap forward and worth a bit extra?

I’ve V8VS, so PS4S isn’t (or at least never used to be) an option.

Thanks