Tyres for best grip?

[Big Dunc]

Hi All, We have a 2014 Model S and need some new tyres. We currently have 245/45 - 19 size, although I am not ruling out a slight size change if there is a good reason to do so.
We really want to fit the tyres with best grip. The car only does a small mileage and few long trips, so not worried about rolling resistance, how long the tyre lasts or how noisy it is. Just which sticks to the road best.
We fit winter tyres in the winter, so the new (summer) tyres don't have to be special in the cold, but they do have to be good in the wet (in the UK, so plenty of rain, but no extremes of temperature).
What are peoples thoughts?

 

[beatle]

I'd get a set of 20x9 wheels and 245/40R20 Pilot Sport 4S tires. The larger wheel will let you run a shorter sidewall and make the car more responsive at the expense of ride quality and resistance to wheel damage. I went from stock 19" wheels to 20x9 wheels and A/S 3+ tires. Even though they are still all season tires, the performance difference is like chalk and cheese. It would be more pronounced with the PS4S which have even more grip.

You can also go to 21" though the ride will suffer more and the wheels will be even more prone to bending, and the combo vs. a comparable 20" setup will be heavier - all else being equal. Tesla sells the forged Arachnid 21" with PS4S tires which are pretty popular and light though. I considered those myself, but only wanted to run one set of wheels and tires.

The car is already a bit under-steery with a square setup. Not sure I'd want to exacerbate that with even more meat in the rear, but staggered setups are still popular - like the Arachnids.

 

[Big Dunc]

Ooh, that is food for thought. The winter tyres are on 20 inch wheels, but the tyres are nearly new so don't really want to be selling them.
While it is tempting to buy new wheels, that does put the budget up loads, so I would probably rather stick with the 19 inch wheels and put the best tyres I can get on them.
We are on a square set up now, but as there is no spare anyway, there is no special reason to stick with that.
I will have a look and see if the PS4S are available in 19 inch.

 

[shellderp]

Pilot sport 4S are unbelievably good tires. If you want the best you can stop there. I can't get them to slip on my P100D, while even my stock Pilot Sport 3 were easy to slip, and winter tires make me hate driving

 

[Catbiscuits]

How is the ride and the noise with the Pilot Sport 4S? I have the stock Contis on my 2017 90D. I don’t love them. It I’m definitely not going to a larger wheel. I live in the NYC/NJ area and with roads this bad, ride quality is essential. Durability too. Im thrilled to have made it a year without a blowout or sidewall bulge like on my old BMW. That said not having to have winter tires is a joy.

 

[Aggmeister2010]

How is the ride and the noise with the Pilot Sport 4S?

I use PS4S on my P90D, of the 21" flavor. They're about the quietest low profile tire I've used. Quite comfortable as well. I tried a few different brands trying to cheap out a bit, and it all ended up being a waste of money...Pilot Sport 4S still takes the cake.

 

[Big Dunc]

I will be ordering a set of PS4S. Thank you for the input everyone.

 

[Big Dunc]

So we fitted a pair of PS4S to the rear a year ago and have been impressed with them. We now need to change the fronts. Two more the same, or is there something better available now?

 

[Aggmeister2010]

So we fitted a pair of PS4S to the rear a year ago and have been impressed with them. We now need to change the fronts. Two more the same, or is there something better available now?

PS4s are top-tier. It's good practice to have all four tires match, get two more.

 

[mulot30th]

SuperSport and ps4s are incredibly good summer tires

 

[airborne spoon]

i run falken azenis on mine for summer tires and they stick to the road great. i go through turns at 100-118 mph and the car sticks to the road like its on rails. they also work great in the rain, i don't drive that fast in the rain obviously but i still move quick and it handles just as good.

I've never slid out but i did finally manage to get a chirp out of the tires one time while i was on a canyon road having a spirited drive, doing about 80 in a 25 mph zone. for you safety nuts it wasn't a real 25 zone it was those stupid yellow slow for the turns 35 but it was a super twisty road and very fun to drive on. (at least until i caught up to some flatlanders doing 20 because they don't know what to do when the road turns )

 

[Big Dunc]

Thanks Chaps. I don’t subscribe to “all four tyres the same is best” as in this case they will be different ages and different batches. However, it does look like another pair of the same is in order. (Not that I have anything against the Falkens)

 

[Big Dunc]

So just over another year has gone by. Just before the recent cold snap (in the UK at least) I fitted the winter wheels / tyres and guess what, we need another pair of summer tyres.
Same criteria applies, I want the tyre that will give best grip that fits onto the standard Model S 19 inch rim.
Is it still the Pilot Sport 4 S, or has something else taken over that is better?

 

[beatle]

I'd say PS4S is still your best choice in the stock 245/45R19 size. You'd need to move to a different tire size to get access to the 200TW gummy street tires.