Re: New Boxster 19 inch winter tire conjecture

The link is for the fifth page of Top Gear's web site 2013 Boxster review. The article's text speaks of the cold weather, and the image on this page shows a Michelin winter tire mounted on the 19 inch Boxster wheel. It seems to be a PA4, yet Tire Rack and Michelin's sites have it only as an N spec 20. My guess is Top Gear's test car is fitted with early examples of what will be the approved winter tire.
TGBoxster
By the way, the previous page has an image of the spoiler in the up position.

When the Boxster came out, all the hails of amazing performance were all on 16" wheels. When I purchased my 2000 S, it had the option of 18" which I promplty rejected. I looked up the prices of 17" vs 18" tires and quickly said "this is stupid, what am I realy getting with 18", fashion?". I have a friend who purchased an Infinity with big wheels, don't remember the size, and he removed them as he said the car rode like crap and wandered. Now with smaller wheels, the car rides and handles better. Other friends are bending rims etc. albeit not on Porsches.

Folks, IMHO, this is just stupid and a waste of money. It reminds me of the Corvettes, mustaches, open shirts, hairy chests, and gold chains of the '70s. Of course, enjoy your cars the way you want to, but in my value system, this is just getting silly. Form should follow function.

Flame away!

We've blown WAY past the point of diminishing returns with wheel size. We are sacrificing handling, ride, and durability for fashion. I have 18s on my 987 and they are the perfect balance of ride and handling. 987s on 19s ride worse and handle no better. I drove a 991 with 20s and it rode like crap, offered no steering feel, and wandered. This is progress?

to me it looks as appropriate as a big construction worker wearing stilettos. my question is, WTF were they thinking?!?!?!

--
MY 2000 S, Ocean Blue, Metropol Blue, Savanah Beige.
Bought June 2000 - Sold May 2010

Ummm.... and what is the matter with a construction workers in stilettos? If the are black with a little strap and clasp..........

Still have my original 17's and very happy with the handling and performance. I believe Porsche puts on the best handling performance combo when they test their new models and the options of larger wheels does not always guaranty better performance.
A few cars ago I had a Saab Aero convertible with low profile 18's and thankfully had tire and rim insurance. Low profile tires come with a guaranty of rim and tire problems.

we would find people complaining as to how ridiculous 17 and 18 inch wheels were. And yes, rubber band tires on a so-called SUV are certainly ridiculous. However, I was heartened recently to see an Escalade trailering lawn cutting equipment. Funny though, that elsewhere on this board is a driving review thread where many of the comments have nothing to do with the car's sporting performance, but another "sport" entirely. For this I'm of like mind with Furio Giunta.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/03/2012 07:04PM by Laz. (view changes)

Sorry to burst the bubble of the 19 haters but I think they meet the highest criteria of form and function. They look awesome how they fill the wheel well and the ride with PASM is on par with 18's. The notion that they ride harsher I don't find to be true. They are more expensive than the 17's or 18's - no argument there. I've pounded the pavement on long trips and found very little not too like compared to the 17's on my previous 01. YMMV.



Current Love: 2008 RS60; 1st Love: 2001 base, triple black

An acquaintance just got a BMW 335i with 18s, I think, and even with the large body relative to a Boxster's, these wheels seem bigger. Not disproportionate, but more apparent. Maybe the spoke style has something to do with it. By the way, the "acquaintance" has a very well proportioned body.

Does not a nice ass look even better in 6" heels than 5"?

And which was designed to accentuate the other?