Porsche Certified Tires

It was previously published in the magazine 911DAYS.Yokohama Rubber talks about Porsche-approved tire development: Part 1I learned that it is no mean feat to receive the Porsche Certified Tire endorsement when I read the article "The Porsche Certified Tire Endorsement.

The Meaning of the "N" (Number) in Porsche Approved Tires and Behind the Scenes of Approved Tire Development

That's why we recently published an article about Porsche's certified tires and the video "Insights into tyre developmentI found "The

I read it right away, and as I do every time I read it, I was amazed, "Wow, but (P.S.!)! I was surprised, so I would like to introduce some of the contents.

Testing at the Nürburgring

With each new Porsche model, a team of tire specialists carefully selects the best tires for that model.Only those selected tires will receive the "N" mark on the tire, a sign that the tire is Porsche certified.The company can do this.

All new Porsche models are once sent to the Nürburgring to be tested to the limit.The Nürburgring is a circuit located in Nürburg in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate in northwestern Germany. The north course (Nordschleife) alone is about 20 km long for one lap. Because of the severity of the course, it is known as the "Nürburgring.Green HellIt is also called "the

Last April 16, 2018, French Carrera Cup driver Kevin Estré, who was the first driver to win the Nürburgring in the "6 minutes 56.4 secondsHe set a record of "1,000 miles per hour" in his first year in the sport. The car he was driving was a naturally aspirated (NA) engine powered "Porsche 911 GT3 RS".

While this record is not the fastest on the Nürburgring, it isSucceeded in shaving 24 seconds off the lap time of the previous generation GT3 RSThe time was 24 seconds faster than the previous year's time. With all the manufacturers scrambling to achieve a time as fast as possible, it was truly an extraordinary feat to beat the previous record by 24 seconds.

And this is what Jan Frank, who is in charge of driving dynamics for the production GT models, had to say about the 911 GT3 RS beating its predecessor by 24 seconds.

Without the advances in tire technology, it would have been impossible to set such a record time."

and. In addition, the tires that the GT3 RS was equipped with at this time, "Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2RThe "M" is not a specially developed tire, but rather aThey were tires that were normally available on the market and could be purchased by anyone.This is surprising.

Uncompromising tire development

Tires are a part that has a great influence on the characteristics of a car. So when Porsche develops a new model, theWhether it is an RR sports car or an RWD 4-door car, tires are one of the most important parts.It is positioned as a

Also, in the case of Porsche, "Achieve a high level of driving dynamics while also pursuing comfort and durabilityThe two contradictory aspects of "the first is to achieve a high level of quality," and the second is to achieve a high level of quality.

In this context, Michael Haupt, a specialist in the tire development department, had this to say.

Tires are an important element in the chassis' ability to perform at its best. However, theNot every tire combines all characteristics without compromise."

and. Tire development is indeed a complex process involving many factors. The tire must fit within the wheel housing andEngine torque affecting vehicle weight, weight distribution, and drive wheelsWhat is required varies depending on the In addition, theDriving noise, wet performance, rolling resistance, durabilityThe company must also meet strictly defined regulations regarding

So, tire developers who respond to Porsche's demands also have their work cut out for them.

Carsten Hoffmann, head of tire development at Porsche, had this to say.

"Tire developers have the ability toI gave him detailed data including the braking distance we were aiming for and the lap times for the north course.We are asking them to develop tires with the performance and characteristics to match.

And.

The development of tires wasA whopping 4 years before the new model went into production.It begins with. Each tire manufacturer is required to "make aPrototypes of both front and rear tires that meet Weissach requirementsIt takes about three months to manufacture and prepare a few "M" products.

And the Porsche side said, "A critical process that never compromises anything.After days of repeated testing and adjustments, positioned as aOnly tires that meet all of Porsche's requirements will be given the "N" mark.So.So Porsche customers can be sure to choose "N" certified tires.

Boxster GTS Tire Replacement - My thoughts on changing to Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires.

Commercial models are more difficult.

Surprisingly, tires for high-performance models are easier to develop than those for production models. In fact, Carsten Hoffmann, head of tire development at Porsche, says, "Developing tires for production models is much more difficult for us.He said.

The requirements for tires developed in the motorsports sector are conversely easier to develop because the temperature range is narrower and the load on the wheel is more precisely and precisely defined.

Tires for production models, on the other hand, have different chassis specifications, complex electronic regulation systems, and a wide range of road surface conditions.Very wide range of tire setting requirementsThe development of tires for production models is therefore more difficult. Therefore, the development of tires for production models is more difficult.

Nevertheless, tire manufacturers have also made very significant progress over the past few decades. "Excellent wet handling and low rolling resistance, plus excellent dry performance and high mileageIt has long been said that it is difficult to develop a tire that combines the characteristics of both of the two, but now it is possible.

For example, a material called "silica" is being developed rapidly, which can be used to reduce the carbon black content in tires.And Porsche is sure to continue to improve on the best lap times achieved at the Nürburgring North Course.

In fact, on October 25, 2018, Porsche, in cooperation with Manthey Racing, Inc.Another new lap record set at the Nürburgring North CourseThe machine at that time was The machine at that time was called "Porsche 911 GT2 RS MRThe time record was 6 minutes 40.3 seconds, which was faster than the fastest road car time of 6 minutes 44.97 seconds set by the Lamborghini Aventador SVJ in July of the same year.

*Image source: AUTO CAR JAPAN ".Porsche 911 GT2 RS MR recaptures Nurburgring fastest lap from Lambo"

Important Role of Test Drivers

Porsche has four test drivers dedicated to tire developmentHowever, they seldom show up at the Weissach Development Center office, and frequently repeat test runs at the Nürburgring North Course, the Nardo Technical Center in southern Italy, and the Conti Drome in Hannover.

Whether or not we can accurately control the vehicle after driving the Porsche to the limit of its performance.We are daily confirming that the

However, making a car go faster is not the test driver's only job. Test drivers not only deal with tire manufacturers, but also have the very important job of providing reproducible results and differentiated reports under all conditions: dry, wet, snow covered, and icy roads.

Many of the test drivers are former drivers who came from the world of motorsports, but one ofTimo Kruk, 46, has been a test driver in Porsche's tire department for 18 years.is speaking thusly.

Porsche is a high-performance vehicle. With the right tires, Porsche owners will experience high-performance performance."

And.

Thus, it was through the daily efforts of tire manufacturers and those involved in Porsche tire development that the Porsche Certified "N" tire was born into the world.

The more you know, the more Porsche

Well, Porsche is amazing. I have long heard that "sports car and super car manufacturers place great importance on tire development," and I was reminded once again that Porsche is also amazing.

It used to be calledI love Porsche, and it would be fun to work for Porsche.I used to joke around with him, but as I've learned more about Porsche lately, I've been thinking about it more and more.

I can't work in such a perfectionist, uncompromising, precise team.（I don't speak German or English, so they wouldn't hire me in the first place.)

I began to think.

So, although Porsche-certified tires are more expensive, they maximize the performance of the Porsche and the tires last longer, so I thought again that there is no better way to get the best out of Porsche-certified tires.

*Image and article exhibit: Porsche news "Porsche newsA Good Mixture"New tyres for historic sports cars"