High-Performance Tires with Responsive Handling Look Sleek, Too
The wheels or rims on most sports cars are designed to fit low-profile tires, which are designed to boost performance and improve the handling of the vehicle so that you can drive it how it’s meant to be driven. Low-profile tires improve traction on pavement and can help you stop faster, even from a higher rate of speed.
Now that it’s time to replace your current tires on your Dodge Challenger, Chevy Camaro, Ferrari, or Alfa Romeo, you’ll want to consider the top 7 low profile tires for sports cars on the market today.
Continental Extreme Contact All-Season Radial Tire
Custom rims and tires improve the look and feel of your vehicle. These ultra-high-performance all-season tires from Continental come with a 50,000-mile limited warranty and give you all the benefits of precise handling and security, even on wet roads that have become slippery. Low-profile tires are known to produce road-noise, but these are some of the quietest available, thanks to the X-Sipe technology that is also designed to improve braking, cornering, and acceleration.
The biggest downside to these tires is that they don’t perform well in the ice and snow, much like many low-profile tires available for purchase, even though they’re marketed as all-season tires.
Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+ All Season Performance Radial Tire
Michelin pulled out all the stops – no pun intended – to help these tires maintain their grip, even on wet roads. The Extreme Silica+ compound within the tire is partially responsible for this, in partnership with large rain grooves and 3-D sipes that are meant to lower your risk of hydroplaning. These two pieces of tire technology make the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+ a terrific option for driving in rainy weather.
The biggest con of these tires is the road noise they create. They also are likely to wear down quickly, just like most low-profile tires. This is simply a risk you have to accept in exchange for that sports car aesthetic you want to pursue for your vehicle.
Hankook Ventus S1 Noble2 Performance Radial Tire
Hankook successfully developed a low-profile tire that handles well in light snow. The sidewalls are made of high-hardness bead fillers and casing plies that improve handling and steering response. The biggest benefit of driving with these Hankook tires is that they are fairly quiet.
The downside, like many short-wall tires, is that they aren’t great for driving in the snow. For this reason, you might want to consider purchasing snow tires for your sports car.
Continental PremiumContact 6
These low-profile tires are designed for summer touring, resulting in excellent traction and braking. With these tires, you just might find that the low-rolling-resistance will improve your sports car’s fuel efficiency and ride quality.
Tire owners will find that the Continental PremiumContact 6 allows for short braking distance, although handling on the wet pavement could be better. For best-in-class traction and grip, a set of these tires is ideal, although you won’t find a treadwear warranty on these.
BF Goodrich g-Force Sport COMP-2
BF Goodrich looks great on a sports car and performs even better. Excellent handling on both dry and wet pavement, ride quality, and great aesthetic make these low-profile tires a top choice for sports car drivers. Surprisingly, these are considered “budget” tires, but they beat out some of their more expensive competitors.
The only documentable downside of these tires is that they can be noisy during highway driving. Because they aren’t considered a premium tire, you may experience slightly worse handling than you’d expect, but in exchange, you’re also spending far less on new tires for your vehicle.
Falken Azenis FK510
One of the best low-profile summer tires for performance vehicles, the Falken Azenis FK510 isn’t outrageously expensive, but it handles like an absolute dream on and off the track. You’ll also find that it’s extremely grippy on both dry and wet surfaces, which means you can feel safe and in control during everything unpredictable summer weather throws at you.
You’ll find that these tires are suitable for autocross and are very quiet – two unique features not common on low-profile tires. If you’re looking to purchase custom wheels and tires, consider adding the Falken Azenis FK510 to your shopping list.
Toyo Proxes S/T All-Season Radial
Considered the best-of-the-best by some tire reviewers, this Toyo tire provides high performance in all seasons on the street – but not necessarily for any type of off-road conditions, including rural gravel roads.
With these Toyo tires, you’ll get great cornering performance, hydroplaning resistance, and enhanced braking, courtesy of the high-angle grooves in the treads. These are ideal tires for everyday driving, even though they’re technically a sport tire meant for performance.
Choosing The Right Tires For Your Sports Car
Sure, tires aren’t really pretty to look at, nor are they particularly interesting to shop for. But the right set on your sports car can make all the difference when it comes to how much you enjoy driving and how comfortable your car handles. A wise tire purchase can change how your sports car drives, so don’t skimp on quality when it comes to your car’s kicks.
Tags: sports cars