A6 2.7TQ impressions

[Lawrence C Leung]

This is taken from the manufacturers (okay, marketers) standpoint, not on
enthusiasts technology standpoint. When tires are chosen by an automaker,
they must (okay, choose to) take into account:

Cost
Availibility - at all times of production
Cost
Ride
Cost
Handling
Cost
Fuel Economy
Cost
Wear
Cost (not for you, theirs!)
Noise
Cost

Get the point?!?!!?

Yes, there are higher speed rated all-season tires. Examples I considered
include the pricey Michelin Pilot XGT-V and Z's as well as the Pirelli
P7000 Supersports. From what I've read, the Michelins do just about
everything on the above list right except cost, cost, cost. I also doubt
the Pilot series is produced in quantities enough to meet worldwide
production demands. If it did (or could be, there may be hand building
steps), it probably would cost less. The P7000SS's, I've read about seems
to really emphasize performance, at the expense of noise, ride
and.....cost. It seems many Euro manufacturers attempt to acheive the
needed compromises for cost and all-season capablities by fitting H-rated
A/Ss, as they realize that it's not legal to go anywhere near the H 130
MPH rating. It's a simple PROM change to govern many of the newer OBD2
cars, the cost of the change is more than easily met with the lower cost
of the rubber. 

LL - NY

On Thu, 30 Nov 2000 11:08:35 -0500 Mark Sirota <msirota at isc.upenn.edu>
writes:
>Lawrence C Leung wrote:
>> US car is govenor limited (not HP or gearing). Done so that the
>> car could be fitted with H-rated rubber, quite possibly the H
>> rubber availible is for either: (1) All-Season (M+S rating) tires,
>> a US lazy thing, (2) smoother ride, as H rubber has less stiff
>> sidewalls compared to V or Z.
>
>(1) There are lots of M&S rated tires in higher speed ratings --
>a quick search on tirerack.com for 225/50-16 shows more than 10 in
>V, W, and Z.
>
>(2) Suggesting that speed rating has any relationship to sidewall
>stiffness is to make a rash generalization.  I'm sure there are
>lots of H-rated tires that have much stiffer sidewalls than other
>Z-rated tires.
>
>Speed rating is about heat dissipation, and that's it.  Yes, one
>way to reduce heat buildup is to stiffen the sidewall, but it's not
>the only way.
>
>Mark