Driving in winter... (mild 56K warning)

SeattleLion

Like most generalizations, this one is deeply flawed. The optimum performance for any car is acheived when the tires exactly match the road conditions. That's why people who race seriously have a set of track tires that would perform horribly on standard roads in bad weather.

Theoretically, all season tires can perform as well as summer tires. In practice some all seasons (like Michelin Pilot Sport A/S Plus) do outperform many "summer" tires. The key is to consider what the car is intended to do. How many 370Z's actually need the level of performance the Bridgestone summer tires claim? If Nissan followed their own logic, only the NISMO would come with maximum performance summer tires. It's the Z Nissan says it intended for racing.

Most of the rest of us will find no performance issues with really good A/S tires. I swapped the Bridgestone Potenzas for the Michelins in October. Even on warm roads, the Pilot Sport A/S tires do better than the Potenzas on wet roads. I admit that I am not racing, but I do drive in a "sporty" manner much of the time. I live in an area that is frequently wet and has roads I can enjoy the speed and handling of my Z when I drive.

In my use, the Michelins stick better than the Potenzas. That's not to say on a track the Bridgestone's wont prove better. My point is that the Z has a special place in the sports car market. It is affordable by people who can't afford multiple sets of tires. Also, other sports cars come with A/S tires.

I wish Nissan would do the same for all but the Nismo.