Pirelli P Zero Corsa on 458

Having read and experienced that part of the 430 Scuderia's better performance over the regular 430 was the P Zero Corsa tires, I am thinking of ordering the 20" version for my 458.

Has anyone tried the stickier P Zero Corsa on the 458? Any opinions on potential problems or is it a step in the right direction? What kind of experience have the owners of Scudi's had with these tires and have they found a better alternative?

 

The p z corsa is in reality really a track tire so soft that it is terrible in the rain .It also has a "life expectancy" of about 4-5k mi in non track usage and only approx 3 track days.At about $2200/set it gets expensive.

 

unless you arent in a wet environment these are the best >>> good grippy tyres never lasts long ...

 

Neil- If you already have a 458, you might consider waiting a while and picking up a set of the new Michelin Pilot Super Sports already being delivered on 599 GTOs and 458s. These tires are the replacements for the PS2 and have been demonstrated to have much better grip than those already excellent tires, especially in the rain.

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Michelin&tireModel=Pilot+Super+Sport

The Corsas were delivered as original equipment on cars all the way back to the 360 Challenge Stradale in 2003 and are in the process of being replaced by a newer tire not yet available, the Trofeo. If you insist on a DOT legal competition tire, I would wait for the Trofeo instead of the Corsas.

http://www.us.pirelli.com/web/motorsport/pzero_trofeo/default.page

Taz
Terry Phillips

 

They are worth it. I put them on my 430 and it is a huge improvement. The rears will probably last 4k and fronts 8k on the street. Who puts 8k on their car on this board in one year ,so who cares. 2K for a set of performance changing tires on a 200k car with 500hp is a no brainer for me. I would run slicks if it were legal!!!!!! Bottom line is that the pzero corsa system tires are the best tire u can buy for performance! I recommend them, they are very sticky and predictable! Try a set and formulate your own opinion.

 

as the two gentleman stated earlier , you wont go wrong with these too ...

 

I saw many tests from the UK, where they seem to have no problems driving in heavy rain with the latest cup tires fitted on GT3 RS or M3 GTS (or what it is called).

They always say standing water is the only problem.

Not sure if you get lot of standing water after one of those hurricane torrential rains in Florida but you can always drive the 458 more carefully..

 

The Corsas are also terrible in cold weather. Keep that in mind.

 

Thanks Taz,

I just picked up my 458 last week which I spec'd with Michelins because I was told most of the development work on the 458 was done with Michelins. Unfortunately the car came with Michelin Pilot Sports (K1) not the Michelin Super Sports.

What kind of performance differential is there between the Michelin Super Sports and the Michelin Sports?

Also any word on when the Trofeo will be out? Lastly are the Michelin Super Sports comparable to the current Pirelli Corsa?

 

Taz,
Just looked at the Pirelli link and it doesn't look like 20 inch diameter tires are going to be offered.
Also in regard to wanting a track tire for the street, I usually don't drive any of my performance cars more than a couple of thousand miles a year and almost never in the rain if I can help it.

On the track I use a 430 Ch with Pirelli slicks although I wish Michelin made a slick that would fit the Challenge car. When I used Michelins on my old 360 Ch instead of the Pirellis I dropped two seconds a lap at Sebring!

 

Neil- Those are the initial introduction sizes for the Trofeo and I would expect the line to expand as the Corsas are phased out of production. If you want the Corsas and can find the sizes you want, pick them up soon because they are running out of some sizes. They were OEM on the 2005 575M and Superamerica HGTC cars and both fronts (R&L) are no longer availble. Will crunch some numbers below to see if they will work.

For the Corsa System, you can run Directionals on the front and Assymetrics on the rear or Assymetrics all the way around. Directionals are right or left size specific.

I was going to say look at the Michelin Sport Cup+ tires but they do not offer 235/35 20s (26.48" dia) or 295/35 20s (28.13"), closest sizes being 245/30 20 (25.79") and 315/25 20 (26.20"). Too far off on the rears.

The closest sizes in the Corsas are 245/35 20 (26.75") and 295/30 20 (26.97"). Stock F to R differential is 28.13-26.48=1.65". Corsa differential would be 26.97-26.75=0.32". That is 1.33" less than OEM offset. 1.33/28.13=4.7% different from stock, 1.33/26.48=5.02%, even worse.

ABS starts giving trouble in the 4-5% range from stock diameter differential, so the Corsas will, in all likelihood, not work for you.

Looks like you are stuck with the OEM tires until someone brings out a DOT competition tire in sizes you can use.

Taz
Terry Phillips

 

I DO!! 13k this year on my 430!!

I just recently replaced my Pirelli Corsas with Michelin PS2. I have to agree... they are not nearly as sticky. I slide around a lot more and don't have nearly the confidence that I had with my Pirellis. Unless things change over the next few thousand miles, I will be going back to Pirelli

 

Moot points since there are no Corsa sizes for the 458.

Taz
Terry Phillips

 

Any summer tire is really.

 

Taz thanks for all the technical info. any chance of finding out whether Michelin or Pirelli will be coming out with a "track tire" for the 458.

 

Neil- Let me sniff around a bit and see what I can discover. Did not realize myself none would work until I started crunching numbers. I predict there will be Trofeos for your car soon. The fact they put the Michelin Super Sports on the GTO should tell you something. All the earlier hot rods had Corsas.

Taz
Terry Phillips

 

+1
I was going to say as I having been looking around for a track tire.
I will probably downsize my wheel to 19s and put Hoosiers or whatever semi slicks on em.
I think thats the only way its going to work.

 

Neil- The sizes currently listed for the Trofeo are the first half release according to Pirelli and more sizes are coming soon.

Taz
Terry Phillips

 

+1

 

No doubt about it, if you fit Corsas, they are great handling and braking tires when it is warm and dry. That is why they were fitted to CS, HGTC, Scud and 16M Ferraris. With most Ferraris only being driven 1000-2000 miles per year, and not often in the rain, not much downside except new tires every 2-5 years.

Taz
Terry Phillips

 

Currently the best option for the stock wheels are the 315/30/20 in the Toyo R888 (like your screen name)
http://www.tiresdirect.net/TOYO_Proxes_R888_315_30ZR20_10_P5468.cfm
and the Michelin Pilot Sport Cup+ N spec 245/30/20. These are wet and dry track tires that wear twice as fast as a street tire but are street legal.

Michelin does make a 335/30/20 for the Carrera GT, Saleen S7, and others but you would need a wider than stock wheel.

 

Michelin claims a 1.5 second improvement on a 1.7 mile dry track and a 2.5 second improvement on a 2.5 mile wet test track. No details about cars, etc. They also claim braking distance improves by 4.9 feet 62-0. Finally they claim the tires will last 10% longer on the street, 50% on tracks. Very impressive if it's all true. Now I'm pissed cuz I just put a set of PS2s on my Cayman S.

Dave

 

Dave- At one point it looked like the PS2 replacement would be the PS3, but the new PSS is now the heir apparent and appears to be a really outstanding tire. Hope they bring out a complete line quickly and do not dribble them out to the public. Since they are already fitting them to 458s at the factory, we know those and the 285/30 20s and 315/35 20s for the GTO are already in production. Note the GTO is one of the rare cars with lower profile tires in front than in back. The GTO sizes are the only ones currently listed as available by TireRack.

Taz
Terry Phillips

 

There were much better choices than the aging PS2
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/testDisplay.jsp?ttid=140
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/chartDisplay.jsp?ttid=118

 

Note that in those tests the PS2 was still a top handling tire and posted the lowest lap times and slalom times despite posting the lowest lateral Gs. Nevertheless, an update is certainly due.

Dave