Latest Mid-Engine Corvette Spy Shots Uncover Exact Tire Measurements
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Just recently, GM Authority was first to notice that prototypes of the upcoming mid-engine Corvette are wearing wide rear rubber. And now, thanks to our most recent spy shots of the prototype model, we know exactly what size tires the future Corvette model will wear, uncovering yet another puzzle piece behind the highly-anticipated supercar.
Size
Those tire sizes are:
- 245/35ZR19 in the front – equivalent in size to the fronts of the C7 Stingray
- 305/30ZR20 in the rear- notably wider than the rears on the C7 Stingray, but not as wide as those on the C7 Grand Sport, Z06 or ZR1
To note, likening the mid-engine Vette’s tires to those of the C7 doesn’t make for an apples-to-apples comparison, since the mid-engine model will have very different dynamics, balance, and weight/load requirements than the front-engined C7 Corvettes. Even so, the metrics should provide more info on what those dynamic requirements should be.
Perhaps more importantly, the sizes confirm that the mid-engine Corvette will have a staggered wheel/tire setup, with the front wheels being an inch smaller than the rears in diameter, and the rear tires being thicker than the fronts.
| Width (mm) | Aspect Ratio (%) | Rating | Diameter (in) | Complete Tire Size | Tire Make | Tire Model | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mid-Engine Corvette Prototype | 245 | 35 | ZR | 19 | P245/35ZR19 | Michelin | Pilot Super Sport 4S |
| C7 Corvette Stingray | 245 | 35 | R | 19 | P245/35R19 | Michelin | Pilot Super Sport run-flat |
| C7 Corvette Grand Sport | 285 | 30 | ZR | 19 | P285/30ZR19 | Michelin | Pilot Super Sport run-flat (standard); Pilot Sport Cup 2 (optional) |
| C7 Corvette Z06 | 285 | 30 | ZR | 19 | P285/30ZR19 | Michelin | Pilot Super Sport run-flat (standard); Pilot Sport Cup 2 (optional on Z07) |
| C7 Corvette ZR1 | 285 | 30 | ZR | 19 | P285/30ZR19 | Michelin | Pilot Super Sport run-flat (standard); Pilot Sport Cup 2 (optional on ZTK) |
| Width (mm) | Aspect Ratio (%) | Rating | Diameter (in) | Complete Tire Size | Tire Make | Tire Model | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mid-Engine Corvette Prototype | 305 | 30 | ZR | 20 | P305/30ZR20 | Michelin | Pilot Super Sport 4S |
| C7 Corvette Stingray | 285 | 30 | R | 20 | P285/30R20 | Michelin | Pilot Super Sport run-flat |
| C7 Corvette Grand Sport | 335 | 25 | ZR | 20 | P335/25ZR20 | Michelin | Pilot Super Sport run-flat (standard); Pilot Sport Cup 2 (optional) |
| C7 Corvette Z06 | 335 | 25 | ZR | 20 | P335/25ZR20 | Michelin | Pilot Super Sport run-flat (standard); Pilot Sport Cup 2 (optional on Z07) |
| C7 Corvette ZR1 | 335 | 25 | ZR | 20 | P335/25ZR20 | Michelin | Pilot Super Sport run-flat (standard); Pilot Sport Cup 2 (optional on ZTK) |
Type
Another notable observation surrounds the type of tire the mid-engine Corvette is wearing. The prototype is clearly riding on Michelin Pilot Sport 4S, Michelin’s Max Performance Summer tires that were developed in cooperation with various automotive manufacturers, including GM and various German makes.
The Michel Pilot Sport 4S was designed for serious drivers looking for maximum performance potential of their sports cars. The tires excel in warm dry and wet conditions, and like all Maximum Performance Summer tires, are not intended to be serviced, stored nor driven in near- and below-freezing temperatures, through snow or on ice.
According to Michelin, the tires utilize key technologies engineered during competition in the famed 24 Hours of Le Mans race, which Corvette Racing has participated in.
Notes Of Interest
Before you start furiously typing in the comments section about how we shouldn’t jump to any conclusions about tire sizes of a prototype model, we must say the following: oh yes, we should – in this case. Here’s why.
This particular mid-engine Corvette prototype is far enough along in the development process to have details like tire size, type, and supplier locked in – and the road tests being conducted here are testing, among a myriad of other things, the car’s ride and handling with the go-to-market tires. So barring any drastic changes (such as a major flaw associated with the Super Sport 4Ses of some sort), the probability is extremely high that what we see here will end up being at least one of the tire sizes for the production model.
That said, it’s also highly possible probable that the developmental vehicle we’re looking at is likely the entry-level model of the mid-engine Corvette family, and that different performance variants of the mid-engine Corvette will wear even wider rubber.
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Yes you have already posted photos that showed them testing winter tires before too.
It is a base car and they may have several tire package available mixed driving and summer only.
Size is not as critical as matching the needs of the car.
As for developed from Le Mans that mostly is marketing talking. Firestone say Indy and Goodyear says Daytona.
They do learn compounding and some engineering but it is mostly marketing.
Michelin will most likely tune the tires a bit for the Corvette as they have requirements to meet too. OE tires are a compromise of regulations and requirements like drive by noise and wear benchmarks if they are not on a ZO6 like handling package.
In the past they were even more restrictive but today GM has backed off some of the requirements of the past. hence the top end Pilots on the ZO6 and ZR1 packages.
Last paragraph says a lot…this is the base model car.
Interesting, I don’t see any “ZP” markings; I wonder if this is a run-flat or not. Sizing looks pretty typical for a midengine car, too bad the load index isn’t clearer (looks like 99?) in the rear tire picture and isn’t shown in the front. That could give us some indication of the weight of the car.
Hope the garbage run flats are gone.
Although I don’t really like them too, Run flat tire can give car more trunk room and lighter
Looks like I’ll be taking the “sum only” tires off and replacing them with “EVERYDAY REAL PERSON TIRES” because I plan to drive My ME ” LL SEASON”
“
In that case, you are better off getting another set of wheels and tires strictly for the winter.
Your alternative are all-seasons, which do not excel in the summer nor in the winter…
I replaced the summer only so I could drive in any weather. They excel just fine for me.
It really depends on what “any weather” means to you… but as anyone who knows and understands tires will tell you, there is no such thing as an all-season tire that’s great in the winter AND great in the summer. There are, however, all-season tires that are mediocre in both climates and not great in any particular one… so you’re sacrificing on both ends of the seasonal performance spectrum with an all-season setup.
From the sounds of it, you’re using an all-season tire, and in doing so, you’re sacrificing significant performance in both climates… which doesn’t do a great performance machine like the Corvette justice. Anyone truly serious about automotive performance in winter and summer climates has two sets of tires… don’t take my word for it, though.
Well said.
I HAVEN’T HEARD ANY COMPLAINTS FROM MY CAR. AGAIN I DRIVE IN WEATHER BELOW 40 DEGREES WHICH MICHLEIN DOESN’T RECOMMEND WITH THE SUMMER TIRES THAT CAME WITH THE CAR.
If “This particular mid-engine Corvette prototype is far enough along in the development process to have details […] locked in” like the tires mentioned in this article, then I see it as highly possible that GM is presenting this car at this year’s Le Mans 24 Hours in June, just like Ford presented their new GT two years ago before entering it in the race for the first time last year.
Absolutely not. The racing Corvette C7R for the 2018 season is already in place.
Roche falls prey to a misunderstanding.
Of course, the entry list for participation in this year’s Le Mans 24 Hours has been closed long time ago.
But the participating companies still can do marketing activities and show cars they might enter in later years. Simply like in an automobile show. There is lots of journalists there who know about automobile and autombile racing. A good occasion for showing new products.
No matter what, any super car tires are not designed to last, only how fast the car can go and remain stuck to the road surface. Then you will need production tires to match a detuned engine. You may wonder will they outlast a 39 month lease?