Hey All! We got some pretty good exposure to lots of different tires during the Model 3 Challenge, and we put lots of laps on them. Here's my thoughts on where we stand on the current selection. It's also important to note that our cars generally have some fairly unique requirements, as compared to lighter cars, or cars that can lap for 30+ minutes at a time.
Bridgestone RE-71RS - This looks to be the king of the 200TW for the Model 3. They come up to temperature fast, they run some of the fastest hot laps, and they wear much better than something like an A052. They do tend to lose a little bit of spice over repeated laps, but the falloff isn't all that significant.
Nankang CR-S V2 2023 - These look like a good contender to the other fastest-paced 200TW tires, but they take some time to build up to temperature for hot laps. Outright pace is similar to the RE-71RS, and they seem to hold up to repeated lapping better, but they are not the best option for time-trials due to the extended time required heating them.
Falken RT660 - The pace on these seems to be slightly off that of the RE-71RS. They also appear to wear more quickly, and have similar heat characteristics, falling off a bit with repeated lapping. Probably not the king of the hill at this point, but still near the pointy end.
Yokohama A052 - I've previously posted my thoughts on these, and they haven't much changed. Their pace and warmup characteristics are very similar to that of the RE-71RS, but they fall-off very fast and wear very quickly. Only recommended if you have a big budget and are focused on single fast laps.
Goodyear Supercar 3 - The Supercar 3 is a well-rounded tire, and does street and track duty well. If you're looking for something to do both, this is a very solid option. It does not quite have the pace of the faster 200TW tires, but it does wear well, and withstands heat well.
Kumho V730 - These tires are a good choice for those looking to put lots of laps in. They don't have the pace of the faster 200TW tires, but they warm up quickly, wear well, and have high heat tolerance levels. A year ago, they were also priced ~30% cheaper than other options, making them a compelling choice. This appears to have changed since then. Still a good solution for lappers.
Michelin Pilot Sport 4S - I would consider this the go-to tire for wet track usage. They aren't a contender in the dry, but in slippery conditions they shine. A great well-rounded tire that everyone is familiar with.
I think we should also point out that we also found, and this is likely compounded by the weight of the Model 3, that a relatively wide wheel with a narrower tire was generally a faster option. E.g. a 275 on a 10.5" wheel was well suited, while a 305 on that same wheel was not, and ended up with a lot of edge rollover. Similarly, a 275 on a 9.5" wheel was likely slower than a 255 on that same wheel. It's important to choose your tire first before selecting a wheel. As a general rule of thumb, you want the tread width of the tire to be the same or 0.5" narrower than the width of the wheel.
I think that about sums it up. Do you have feedback on some other options? Let me know here!
"Model 3 Wheel" by jurvetson is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
Admin note: Image added for Blog Feed thumbnail
Bridgestone RE-71RS - This looks to be the king of the 200TW for the Model 3. They come up to temperature fast, they run some of the fastest hot laps, and they wear much better than something like an A052. They do tend to lose a little bit of spice over repeated laps, but the falloff isn't all that significant.
Nankang CR-S V2 2023 - These look like a good contender to the other fastest-paced 200TW tires, but they take some time to build up to temperature for hot laps. Outright pace is similar to the RE-71RS, and they seem to hold up to repeated lapping better, but they are not the best option for time-trials due to the extended time required heating them.
Falken RT660 - The pace on these seems to be slightly off that of the RE-71RS. They also appear to wear more quickly, and have similar heat characteristics, falling off a bit with repeated lapping. Probably not the king of the hill at this point, but still near the pointy end.
Yokohama A052 - I've previously posted my thoughts on these, and they haven't much changed. Their pace and warmup characteristics are very similar to that of the RE-71RS, but they fall-off very fast and wear very quickly. Only recommended if you have a big budget and are focused on single fast laps.
Goodyear Supercar 3 - The Supercar 3 is a well-rounded tire, and does street and track duty well. If you're looking for something to do both, this is a very solid option. It does not quite have the pace of the faster 200TW tires, but it does wear well, and withstands heat well.
Kumho V730 - These tires are a good choice for those looking to put lots of laps in. They don't have the pace of the faster 200TW tires, but they warm up quickly, wear well, and have high heat tolerance levels. A year ago, they were also priced ~30% cheaper than other options, making them a compelling choice. This appears to have changed since then. Still a good solution for lappers.
Michelin Pilot Sport 4S - I would consider this the go-to tire for wet track usage. They aren't a contender in the dry, but in slippery conditions they shine. A great well-rounded tire that everyone is familiar with.
I think we should also point out that we also found, and this is likely compounded by the weight of the Model 3, that a relatively wide wheel with a narrower tire was generally a faster option. E.g. a 275 on a 10.5" wheel was well suited, while a 305 on that same wheel was not, and ended up with a lot of edge rollover. Similarly, a 275 on a 9.5" wheel was likely slower than a 255 on that same wheel. It's important to choose your tire first before selecting a wheel. As a general rule of thumb, you want the tread width of the tire to be the same or 0.5" narrower than the width of the wheel.
I think that about sums it up. Do you have feedback on some other options? Let me know here!
"Model 3 Wheel" by jurvetson is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
Admin note: Image added for Blog Feed thumbnail
