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Comparing The Two Available Tires On The Chevy C8 Corvette Stingray

General Motors has made two different types of Michelin run-flat tire available for the C8 Corvette Stingray. The Michelin Pilot All Season 4 is fitted as standard on all three trim levels (1LT, 2LT and 3LT), while the Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S is offered as part of the Z51 Performance Package, which costs $5,995 and is fitted to over 60 percent of C8 Stingrays currently sold. Today, we’re looking at the differences between the two sets of rubber.

Incidentally, both of the tires available for the C8 Stingray contain a “4,” which could make identifying and referring to them somewhat confusing. Either way, the Pilot All Season 4 is intended to provide a compromise for all seasons. By contrast, the Pilot Sport 4 S is a summer-only tire suitable solely for dry weather (with reduced capability in wet conditions) and associated summer temperatures. The Pilot Sport 4 S will provide more grip, but it’s less optimal than the Pilot All Season 4 on days with rain, cold temperatures or even snow.

Pilot Sport All Season 4 Pilot Sport 4 S
Availability Standard on Corvette 1LT, 2LT, 3LT Included with Z51 Performance Package
Type Performance all-season wet & dry grip Ultra high-performance summer
Warranty 45,000 miles 30,000 miles
Speed rating (Y) – in excess of 186 mph (Y) – in excess of 186 mph
Run-flat capability Yes Yes
245/35ZR19 89Y weight (pounds) 27.47 26.96
305/30ZR20 99Y weight (pounds) 35.21 34.90
UTQG Treadwear rating 540 300
UTQG Traction rating AA AA
UTQG Temperature rating A A
Manufacturing location USA USA

The key figures in the table above are the Treadwear ratings quoted in the U.S. Department of Transportation National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Uniform Tire Quality Grade (UTQG) standards.

These are based on information provided by the tire manufacturers, who do not all use the same methodology to rate their tires. However, it is considered safe to compare Treadware ratings of tires from the same brand. In this case, the Treadware ratings of 540 for the Pilot Sport All Season 4 and 300 for the Pilot Sport 4 S are significant.

They imply that a softer compound is used for the Pilot Sport 4 S. All other things being equal, this implies that it will provide more grip than the Pilot Sport All Season 4 for as long as it lasts, but also that it will not last as long. Supporting evidence comes in the form of Michelin’s own warranty for both sets of tires, which lasts for 45,000 miles in the case of the Pilot Sport All Season 4, but only 30,000 miles for the Pilot Sport 4 S.

Another interesting detail (though of a more subtle kind) can be found elsewhere in the table. Each 245/35ZR19 Pilot Sport 4 S fitted to the front of the Chevy Corvette Stingray is 0.51 pounds lighter than its equivalent Pilot Sport All Season 4. At the rear, the 305/30ZR20 Pilot Sport 4 S has a weight advantage of 0.31 pounds per tire. The total weight saving around the car is therefore 1.64 pounds.

These are very small differences, but ones that become slightly more significant when we consider that it represents unsprung weight, which should be kept to a minimum in a high-performance vehicle like the Corvette. More importantly, it’s also vital to reduce the weight of any rotating object, especially when that object has as large a diameter and as great a rate of spin as a tire.

Inertia and momentum are different names for the same thing. We complain about the first when it prevents something from moving, and about the second when it prevents something from slowing down. In those terms, the lighter Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S tire has lower inertia, giving the C8 Corvette Stingray better acceleration, and less momentum, which helps with the braking. The differences are minor, but if we’re driving on a track and timing it to the nearest hundredth of a second we want all the help we can get.

Bottom line: for those who desire ultra-high-performance driving in summer conditions, the Pilot Sport 4 S is the optimal choice. But in cases where ultimate performance is secondary to all-season driving ability, the Pilot Sport All Season 4 is the way to go. The all-season rubber is also likely to deliver a long tread life to boot.

Want more on all things Corvette? Then be sure to subscribe to GM Authority for more Corvette news, Chevrolet news and around-the-clock GM news coverage.

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David has been writing about motoring and motorsport since he was 13 and racing since he was 19. He is British, and therefore apologizes for taking up too much of your time.

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Comments

  1. One item not mentioned is road noise. Now I know the Corvette is a sports car so noise is something to be expected. however, the sport tires are really noisy on the Hwy…the all seasons are really a great option for most Corvette owners.

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  2. The real solution is to let the customer select which tires he wants when ordering the car.

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  3. As an owner of a C7, I would suggest getting rid of Michelin tires as soon as possible.
    I have gone through 4 or 5 of them since 2016.
    All of them have been sidewall failures. (Pennsylvania potholes)? Not sure.
    I presently have Goodyears.

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    1. Interesting how Corvette went from Goodyear run flats (C7) to Michelin (C8). Was it a change because of handling or tire size?

      Reply
      1. Michelin announced that a major racing team will switch to its tires for the 2004 season. The announcement that three-time GTS class-winning Corvette Racing will switch from Goodyear to Michelin racing slicks in the American Le Mans Series follows the Nov. 25, 2003, confirmation that Formula One team BAR-Honda will run on Michelin rubber in 2004.
        The No. 3 and No. 4 Chevrolet Corvette C5-Rs will begin Michelin tire tests this week in preparation for the nine-race ALMS schedule and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Michelin-shod teams took the top ten positions and won all four classes at the world-famous endurance race in 2003, which also marked the company’s sixth consecutive overall win.

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      2. Hummm!!! last i saw Michelin’s were standard on ALL C7’s

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        1. Thanks Reuben!

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    2. The GY F1 A3’s on my ’16 Camaro SS are awesome! The only down side is that they only last about 15K miles, I did replace them with the same tires since I love how they ride, handle, and perform.

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    3. Based on both the dozens of people I know with C7s, and years spent frequenting online Corvette forums, your experience is not typical. I’ve had my C7 for 6 years, and had one sidewall failure. Caused, actually, but a Pennsylvania pothole that was so deep it bent the rim AND cause the frame just behind the front wheel to impact the pavement. And mine is the only sidewall failure I can recall.

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      1. Thanks Bob. Maybe I’ll get my dealer to look at it.

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    4. So IYO just get rid of the Michelin tires even with lots of tread as soon as possible just because you like GoodYears.
      “SURE”, but I doubt I would do that, actually I know I wouldn’t do that.
      If I even need to replace mine I might go with the Michelin All Season that comes on the non Z51 suspension or stick with the summer tires.
      But I actually like the tires that came with mine, there really isn’t much more road noise with my summer tires on my C8 Z51 compared to the tires on our Yukon Denali SUV on the highway.
      Having proper PSI really helps with the ride.

      Reply
  4. While the All-Season performance tire nomenclature often leads drivers to perceive they deliver superior wet traction, Summer performance tires actually out perform All-Season performance tires in warm, dry and wet conditions. All-Season performance tires only offers a traction advantage in near-freezing and lower temperatures, as well as in light snow, packed snow or icy conditions.

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  5. The Sport tires on my C7 are great!

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    1. A very important bit of information I learned when I bought my 2020 non-Z51 Stingray is that the normal All -Season Tires that come standard are good for winter snowy weather. Unfortunately, there is a warning in the User’s Manual (p. 249) against driving the Ultra Sticky tires that come with the Z51 package below 40 degrees!
      It says: “It is recommended that winter tires be installed on the vehicle if frequent driving at temperatures below approximately 5 °C (40 °F) or on ice or snow covered roads is expected.”
      I live in the northeast and that warning is critical to my tire choice. BTW, I am retired and this is my only car. I’ve had good luck with the regular tires in the winter as long as any snow doesn’t accumulate beyond 3-4 inches. Than, as we know, the Stingray becomes a snowplow.

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  6. The title “Two Available Tires” is a little bit of a misnomer, since there is no option to go from one to the other. You buy a NON-Z51 C8 and you get the AS tires. You buy a Z51 C8 – you get the Summer Only tires. There is NO option for AS tires on a Z51, nor for Summer Only on the Non-Z51. I do not know how the “Traction Rating” provided here is determined, but the tires are certainly not equal. I have driven C8s in both wet and dry conditions, with each set of tires – so I’m confused by that data. If you drive a C8 on a damp or wet road, you will easily find that the summer only tires are not quite up to the task. They break loose easily under the mildest of conditions. Tire manufacturers will also disclose that the rubber compound used for the Summer Only tires pretty much loses all of it’d grip below 40 degrees, and is actually prone to damage below 20 degrees. I live near Seattle, and my driving preferences are not limited to summer only or dry roads only. Since I do not have the space to keep a spare AS set of tires and wheels – I had the tires on my C8 Z51 changed out for the AS version. I am a relatively aggressive driver on occasion and find the AS tires serve well on dry roads and Are markedly a better choice on wet or very cold ones. I suspect the summer only tire design was necessary to achieve the Z51 lateral G-Force spec in high speed turns, but for those of us that do not intend to track the car – or at least not a lot – it would have been nice to have the option of AS tires. The only additional comment I would offer, is that if one does chose to change out the tires – find a place that can do road force balancing to make the change.

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    1. ” If you drive a C8 on a damp or wet road, you will easily find that the summer only tires are not quite up to the task. They break loose easily under the mildest of conditions. ”

      Absolutely false.

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      1. Absolutely true Bob. My Goodyear F1 summer tires easily broke traction during light throttle on my 2020 Camaro 1SS on wet roads. Maybe the Michelin are better in the rain but don’t count out people opinions and experience to the contrary.

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      2. Bob,
        The Michelin Summer Tires perform terribly in wet weather on the C8 corvette. I have the Z51 package and changed out the summer tires for the all seasons right after the first rainstorm I was stuck in. I lost traction due to hydroplaning and braking and light acceleration. The summer tires are great in dry hot weather but in rain or under freezing temperatures, it is a most certainly a “no go”.

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  7. I’m with JRF the Z51 should have a AW tire option Here is Michelin warning on the Sport 4S:

    Max Performance Summer tires, it is not intended to be serviced, stored nor driven in near- and below-freezing temperatures, through snow or on ice. AND

    Note: Tires exposed to temperatures of 20 degrees F (-7 degrees C) or lower must be permitted to gradually return to temperatures of at least 40 degrees F (5 degrees C) for at least 24 hours before they are flexed in any manner, such as by adjusting inflation pressures, mounting them on wheels, or using them to support, roll or drive a vehicle.

    This article completely misses these limits.

    I doubt that most C8 Z51 buyers don’t understand their tire compounds will be compromised if they are let get cold. The Z51 should come with AW tires mounted a real track tires on a extra set of wheels. The same for the brake pads, street pads on the car with a trunk kit with track pads, also a factory mounting bracket for a 5/6 point harness

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  8. I looked up replacement tires for my 2021 C8 Z51 that now has the summer only and 30,000 life span. The retail tire store website listed both Michelins, AS and S only. But says they warranty is 30,000 on both kinds. But now I wil call and ask. I would prefer All Season when I do the replacement. I live in Southern California, and does not go below 40 enough where I am to worry about it ( but it does snow where I live in the mountains). But I prefer tire life over any other factor. I will say, these things stick! Seriously, easily do .8 G and have no doubt they will not let go of the pavement. I would havexpreferred all season on my z51 and will be buying a spare set of tires from someone that takes them off for replacement.

    Reply
  9. In late season snow, sleet, freezing rainstorm with temps hovering around 32 and up to 36 degrees; I put nearly 200 miles on the C8 on the way to Bowling Green. Mostly on tollways and interstate and mostly tween 70 and 90 mph, I experienced loss of traction only on an off ramp to a truck stop where I suspect some petroleum products were in the pavement mix. Used the “weather” mode for these inclement miles and I could feel the car settle into the slurry of standing liquid in the heavier downpours; not unlike the rain mode on my ZX14R!

    No complaints here on the sport tire traction as long as the car indicates at least a “cool” tire temperature regardless of the surface/ environmental temperature readings. I admit to being reluctant to drive hard below 40 deg F, but sometimes you may find that you must do so and the “weather” mode does indeed satisfy. I admit to no experience in sub freezing point adventures however.

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  10. I have put 2 sets of +3s on my C7. Very satisfied

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  11. In my experience Michelin summer tires do just fine in the rain. You (GMA) offer no data to support the statements than the summer tires are worse in the rain than the A/S. Worse in lower temps? Absolutely, but that’s not the same as wet.

    And, while the tread on the summer tires is undoubtedly softer and wears faster as a result, that’s only one of the reasons the treadwear rating on them is worse. As the lighter weight indicates, the summer tires have THINNER tread, to dissipate heat more effectively. That’s probably responsible for about half of the difference in tread wear.

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  12. The C7 came with Michelins not Goodyears.

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    1. Thanks Mr. Vette I stand corrected. I own Camaro’s and just assumed Goodyear’s. That’s what I get for assuming Lol!

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  13. Michelin Corvette Tire Warranty

    The GM Authority Blog Comparing The Two Available Tires On The Chevy C8 Corvette Stingray offers insight into the Original Equipment tires but omits important details regarding Michelin’s mileage warranty coverage.

    Based on the blog and some of the comments, I think we better reset some of the mileage warranty expectations. I’ll provide additional details base on Michelin’s Promise Plan available at the following link:

    https://dgaddcosprod.blob.core.windows.net/b2c-experience-production/attachments/cklc1aasa00sz01ln12nkwj4y-mdp43887-2019-warranty-flyer-quick-guide.pdf

    I’ve included the warranty verbiage verbatim and provided additional insight below.

    Original Equipment Tires
    Michelin does not cover Original Equipment tires for mileage.

    Tires delivered as Original Equipment on a new C8 Corvette are not backed by a Michelin mileage warranty. However, subsequent replacement tires purchased by C8 Corvette owners from a Michelin tire retailer will be backed by the Michelin Promise Plan mileage warranty.

    Additionally, there are two other limitations that influence the duration of the mileage warranty for Corvette replacement tires applications:

    Zero Pressure
    ZP (Zero Pressure) tires have the same warranty as the standard tire line they are part of, not to exceed 30,000 miles

    Both Michelin tires used as Original Equipment on the C8 Corvette are ZP (Zero Pressure) run-flat tires. Therefore, Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4 ZP or Michelin Pilot Sport 4S ZP tires purchased as replacements are assigned a maximum 30,000-mile warranty. The blog author and many of the commentators errantly described the mileage warranty coverage of Michelin’s non-ZP tires

    Split Fitments
    Some vehicles come from the vehicle manufacturer with “split fitments – meaning different size tires on the front and rear axles. Because these tires cannot be rotated as recommended by Michelin, the mileage warranty on each rear tire will only cover half the number of miles as the standard mileage warranty for that particular tire design.

    Vehicles featuring split-tire-size fitments are typically high-powered, high performance sports cars, coupes or sedans, all of which wear out their rear drive tires quicker. Since all C8 Corvettes feature split fitment tire sizes, the mileage warranty assigned to their rear ties is reduced to half that of the front tires, or 15,000 miles.

    Taking both their ZP construction and split fitment status into consideration, C8 Corvette replacement tires are actually backed by the following Michelin mileage warranties:

    Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4 ZP Michelin Pilot Sport 4S ZP
    Front Tires 30,000 miles 30,000 miles
    Rear Tires 15,000 miles 15,000 miles

    Michelin manufacturers some of the highest performing, longest lasting Ultra-High Performance tires and the Pilot Sport All Season 4 will last longer than the Pilot Sport 4S summer tire. However, it’s not the 45,000-mile or 30,000-mile durations stated in the blog.

    I contacted Michelin Customer Care this morning to confirm before adding this post.

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  14. I think the point most are missing isn’t the traction nor ware, It’s the compound degradation buy the cold weather. Leaving the tires out in 40F and below causes the compound to brake down and side walls to weaken. Michelin won’t warrant the tires if they show damage to being left out in cold conditions. The trouble is the tires could fail and the worse time, a high speed corner. The next time you hit that onramp at 75+, one could just blow out and your C8 will end up “black side up”. Or if you take it to your favorite track for a track day. How about a tire failure in T1 at the Glen 🙁 . It’s the compound that can’t handle the cold.

    Reply
    1. I think C8 drivers are lucky to have all season tires to begin with if you drive year round. My prior 2020 Camaro 1SS came w Goodyear F1 summer tires. I had to purchase a dedicated Winter tire package for the winter months. My new 2021 LT1 comes w Goodyear all season tires. I’d be interested in comparing the differences in the Michelin and Goodyear’s. I’m moving from VA to SC so hopefully I can run summer tires year round in that mild climate.

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    2. I agree. Personally, I couldn’t care less about the wear since I do enough to accelerate that on my own. And… whether all here agree or disagree about the poorer traction of the Summer Only Tires on wet roads (simply because the tread doesn’t move as much water), the real issue is that the compound is not suited to below 40 temps for reasonable traction, and if subjected to below 20 temps it’s simply detrimental to the tires. Heck, Michelin doesn’t even recommend storing them in below 20 conditions, much less the stress of driving on them or even mounting them.

      Reply
  15. Although the A/S tires are long mileage and look great, they are by far the nosiest tires of all the corvettes I have owned. My previous was a C7. I measured the interior noise on my C8 and it read 74.5 dB. average with a few spikes in the lower 80’s. This is not engine noise, I love the exhaust sound but the tire noise will drive you up the wall. The performance is great, wear your ear plugs.

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  16. Just FYI; BMW years ago offered a low profile tire on their M Roadster. They were “non run flat” and in the rea you got an Air pump and plug kit. We drove our ’02 for over 150m miles and went through 4 sets of tires. So when our ’20 Z 51 arrived the first thing I did was found a set of the standard rims and put a set of Brigestone (non run flats) on the car. We live on a road called the “Dragon”. It’s 300 plus curves in 11 miles. The car with or without run flats is way better than I can drive. Bridgestones are made in USA and their factory is world class. Michelins are great but “run flats” are heavy. 25% more than the Bridgestones. Ride is better, noise down and in my opinion just as good or better that Miscelins. Yes I know, blow outs happen and run flats may or maynot save the plastic. But having owned a bunch of Vett’s we never had a flat here in the South. Now GM announces on passanger cars they are eliminating the spare and giving you a kit (air pump & sealent). Save weight and performance? Or just can not get the mini spare?

    Reply
  17. Too bad GM wont let you pick out what tires you want! I live in Northern Indiana and would like to drive my 2022 C8 Z51 in cold weather. I went to the Tire Rack and purchased All Season Pilot Sport AS 4s RunFlat. I checked with the NCM Motor Park and they are using the same tire, Michelin AS 4S RunFlat’s on their Z51 cars. They operate rain or shine on the track. I was lucky and tracked one of their C8’s on a sunny day. There is no way I could out drive the All Season tire. So if you want to drive your C8 year round go ahead and purchase the All Season tires made for this car. One other thing I noticed. The All Season appear to be quieter…

    Reply

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