It’s one of the most used and abused parts of your car, but just how much does changing your tires really affect its performance?
Right now, we’re in the thick of summer time. Therefore, it’s the perfect time to take a convertible sports car for a track day. If that doesn’t float your boat, there’s always canyon carving, or even a relaxing cruise. However, if your tires aren’t up to snuff, any well-intentioned weekend blast can easily end in tears.
Take our 2006 Porsche Boxster, for example. The TFL crew originally bought this car with a set of old, mismatched tires. They still had some tread life left, but the fact that they’re old and mismatched can affect the car’s performance and safety. Case in point, TFL’s own Roman Mica takes the Boxster around the track to find out how they grip. Calamity ensues – with the traction control off, the car spins in the first corner.
The mid-engined Porsche Boxster isn’t the most powerful sports car out there. After all, its 2.7-liter, horizontally-opposed six-cylinder engine makes just 240 horsepower and 199 lb-ft of torque. Nevertheless, the old rubber can’t cope with the cornering forces and gave up almost immediately. Not what you want on the track, and that sort of performance can be downright dangerous on the road.
New rubber, Better Odds?
Apart from setting a slow-paced 1:19.00 minute lap time on the track, the spin was a clear indication the Boxster needed some fresh rubber. General Tire provided a set of G-Max AS-05 high-performance all-seasons to coax more predictable handling from the Boxster. The tires have a Replacement Tire Monitor etched into the rubber to alert you when the tires need to be changed.
After fitting some fresh tires, the Porsche Boxster clearly sets a faster lap time. New tires make for a safer canyon carving experience, as they make the car’s handling sharper and more predictable. Not only will the handling noticeably improve, but so will the stopping power. Just how big a difference can it make? Watch the video above to find out!
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Continental Tires. The opinions and text are all mine.
