Winter Tyres for an XKR

[tony rigby]

Winter Tyres! An emotive topic at the best of times.

I had a quiet day at work yesterday, twiddling my thumbs waiting around for a single event to happen and having recently purchased a set of "winter wheels" I decided to do a bit of research on what tyres I would be fitting to them.

For this research I chose to use the website www.tyrereviews.co.uk

First off, I searched for winter tyres available in the sizes 255/35 R20 and 285/35 R20.

The eagle eyed ones of you will notice that I've chosen a 35 profile for the rear, rather than a 30 profile which is standard.

When I bought my car, it had 295/35 profile tyres fitted to the rear and if I'm honest I haven't noticed any degradation in the handling from my previous car, which was fitted with the standard 285/30 tyres and the 295/35 tyre, IMHO fills the rear wheel arches a little better.

I posted this article at the time https://www.xkec.co.uk/xkforum/viewtopic.php?f=38&...

The car passed its last MOT with these tyres fitted, so the size change doesn't appear to be an issue.

I've gone for the 285 width rather than the 295 as "narrower" tyres are thought to improve grip, and although 1 cm (3.4%) is not a lot, it's a step in the right direction.

Another criteria I factored into my research was that the tyres on all 4 wheels had to be from the same manufacturer and had to be from the same line.

Initial research indicated 5 identical tyres available in both sizes and a 6th available in the same line (Michelin Pilot Alpin) as a Mk5 for the front and Mk4 for the rear.

I’ve tabulated my results, hopefully in a logical order:

Available Tyre Sets
1 Continental WinterContact TS 830 P
2 Dunlop SP Winter Sport 3D
3 Michelin Pilot Alpin 4(R)/5(F)
4 Pirelli Sottozero Serie II
5 Pirelli Winter 210 Sottozero 2
6 Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3

Pricing of Fronts 255/35 R20
2 Dunlop SP Winter Sport 3D £172.00
6 Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 £188.90
1 Continental WinterContact TS 830 P £191.00
5 Pirelli Winter 210 Sottozero 2 £199.20
4 Pirelli Sottozero Serie II £194.80
3 Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 £202.00

Pricing of Rears 285/35R20
1 Continental WinterContact TS 830 P £186.00
6 Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 £225.80
4 Pirelli Sottozero Serie II £230.30
3 Michelin Pilot Alpin 4 £250.78
5 Pirelli Winter 210 Sottozero 2 £290.30
2 Dunlop SP Winter Sport 3D £309.80

Price of a Set of 4 to Fit
1 Continental WinterContact TS 830 P £754.00
5 Pirelli Winter 210 Sottozero 2 £829.40
4 Pirelli Sottozero Serie II £850.20
3 Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 F / Michelin Pilot Alpin 4 R £905.56
2 Dunlop SP Winter Sport 3D £963.60
6 Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 £979.00

Average Ratings on tyrereviews.co.uk
86.1 Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 F £905.56
94.7 Michelin Pilot Alpin 4 R
85.0 Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 £979.00
83.6 Pirelli Sottozero Serie II £850.20
81.2 Continental WinterContact TS 830 P £754.00
80.1 Dunlop SP Winter Sport 3D £963.60
69.1 Pirelli Winter 210 Sottozero 2 £829.40

Has anyone had any actual experience (not opinion) with any of these tyres please?

At the moment I’m leaning towards the Michelin’s as they’re in the mid-range price wise, but also the ratings of the rears in particular, are above all others.

[tvron]

Have you looked at Nokian tyres
If available these are very good

[a8hex]

Firstly, just to say I've not used winter tyres on my XKR, it's mostly used as a toy and if the weather is that bad I've got other cars to take out.
The family work horse is Lady B8's Merc wagon, it's a diesel, has similar peak torque but produces it in a totally different way and to different effect.

We've run winter tyres on the Mercs for years and I'd not chose to run a torquey rear wheel drive car in winter without them, not only in snow and icy days, but just on cold damp days. That's my feeling anyway.
We've run Avon for the last few sets, this year the thread left wasn't great and we expected to need to change them mid winter. The pair with the greater legal tread depth had worn off almost all their finer thread patterns, and I don't know whether they get harder with age (3 years) or what, but for the first few weeks after we had them fitted there were crap, slipping all over the shop. They did get better (relatively), but when the other pair needed replacing we swapped all 4 and were offered a good deal on some Alpins (3 rather than 4s) and I must say they're impressive on cold damp mornings. Not had any real cold or snow this winter so no hard tests but what I've seen so far I'm really happy with them.

tony rigby said:

Winter Tyres! An emotive topic at the best of times.

...
I've gone for the 285 width rather than the 295 as "narrower" tyres are thought to improve grip, and although 1 cm (3.4%) is not a lot, it's a step in the right direction.
...

? as a general point, or just for winter conditions ?

tony rigby said:

Available Tyre Sets
1 Continental WinterContact TS 830 P
2 Dunlop SP Winter Sport 3D
3 Michelin Pilot Alpin 4(R)/5(F)
4 Pirelli Sottozero Serie II
5 Pirelli Winter 210 Sottozero 2
6 Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3
...
Average Ratings on tyrereviews.co.uk
86.1 Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 F £905.56
94.7 Michelin Pilot Alpin 4 R
85.0 Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 £979.00
83.6 Pirelli Sottozero Serie II £850.20
81.2 Continental WinterContact TS 830 P £754.00
80.1 Dunlop SP Winter Sport 3D £963.60
69.1 Pirelli Winter 210 Sottozero 2 £829.40

Has anyone had any actual experience (not opinion) with any of these tyres please?

At the moment I’m leaning towards the Michelin’s as they’re in the mid-range price wise, but also the ratings of the rears in particular, are above all others.

[tony rigby]

Run the 285/35 winter tyres and use the 295/35 in summer.

IMHO the 295/35 tyres fill the wheel arches better and as its a 5.25% increase in rolling circumference, it means my speedometer reads spot on when the tyres are new!.

Edited by tony rigby on Thursday 30th January 15:14

[fatboy b]

I’ve survived 4 winters in the XFR-S without winters. I had them on my last XF, but only had them on for 2 months one year and 2 weeks the following year. It’s a big outlay if you get wheels too. I’m not sure it’s worth it in this country unless you regularly travel up to Scotland. I’m on Michelin PS4S, and while they are a performance summer tyre, they’re remarkably good on the cold too.

[LeoSayer]

A recent YouTube video by Tyre Reviews (who is on PH) came to the conclusion that the best combination for the British climate is using all-season tyres for 6 months and summer tyres for 6 months.

This is on the basis that
-We don't get enough days of snow to justify full winters
-Some all seasons have very good snow capability anyway
-All season provide better braking performance in cold and wet conditions than summers
-All seasons provide much better dry braking performance in cold weather than winters

No sure what, if any, all-season tyres are available in XKR sizes though.

[awooga]

The only ones my local tyre agent and fitter could get in the 20" sizes for my XK Portfolio were the Pirelli Sottozero 3s. The reviews said they were at the closer end of the performance scale i.e. the ones nearest the summer tyre. Haven't had any snow yet to try them on, but certainly some of the cold frosty days they've been brilliant. Still get the taill out in the damp, even in low temperatures if you go anywhere too close to the loud pedal though. Makes overtaking a serious bit of planning.

[wsn03]

My XKR doesn't see winter - a) its too bloody thirsty, b) it's too bloody uncomfortable and c) im trying to preserve it

My Passat Estate knocks it for 6 in every direction except looks (ok and maybe a bit of speed).

Sorry I've been no help at all, but I feel better now