Michelin Pilot Sport 4

The other day, we replaced the tires on our Panamera. Today, I’d like to share what they feel like after taking the car out for a drive.

The Panamera originally came with Pirelli P ZEROs—Porsche-approved tires fitted when we bought the car new. After a recent flat, we decided to replace all four with Michelin Pilot Sport 4 Acoustic tires.

We chose Michelin because my husband had been so impressed with the brand after switching the Boxster’s tires from Goodyear to Michelin Pilot Sport 4S. At the time, he said:

The difference after switching to Michelin Pilot Sport 4S is incredible! Maybe I’m exaggerating, but the ride feels almost as smooth as the Panamera now. The handling is even more precise than before, and it feels more stable in a straight line!

He said then that if we ever needed to replace the Panamera’s tires, he’d definitely choose Michelin.

ポルシェ ボクスターGTSのタイヤ交換−ミシュランパイロットスポーツ4Sに替えてみた感想

For the Panamera, however, the tire is the Michelin Pilot Sport 4—without the “S” found on the Pilot Sport 4S. And the Porsche-approved version in the size we needed has “Acoustic” in its name: Michelin Pilot Sport 4 Acoustic N0. The “Acoustic” designation means sound-absorbing foam is attached to the inside of the tire.

When my husband said he wanted to put Michelin Pilot Sport 4s on all four wheels, I asked, “Only the front right tire got a puncture. Wouldn’t it be fine to replace just that one?” He replied:

No way. That would leave the tires mismatched from side to side. And if I only changed the front tires, I’d have different brands on the front and rear. That would drive me crazy—I just couldn’t live with it. If we’re changing them, we have to change all four.

So he ordered a full set online from Rakuten, and we ended up replacing all four tires (laughs). I also looked into the Pilot Sport 4 Acoustic, and it seems to offer:

・Excellent wet- and dry-weather performance
・Precise control and responsive handling
・A refined, premium design
・Acoustic Technology (sound-absorbing foam inside the tire helps reduce noise in the cabin)

Foam is attached to the inside of the tire.

Our Impressions of the Michelin Pilot Sport 4

After the tire change, my husband told me, “Since we’ve gone to the trouble of changing the tires, why don’t you take the Panamera for a spin?” So the other day, I drove it for the first time in about two weeks. My first impression was that it felt livelier and even smoother over the road, though I didn’t notice a huge difference compared with the Pirellis it had been wearing.

The Pirellis must have been good tires, too.

More than anything, I was struck by how much I admired the Panamera itself after being away from it for a while. Its solid, substantial feel, smooth ride, and powerful acceleration when merging onto the highway all reminded me just how wonderful this car is.

My husband’s first impressions of the Michelin Pilot Sport 4 were:

It feels livelier. It’s like swapping a pair of heavy sneakers for a slightly lighter pair. The road noise also seems noticeably quieter. As for ride comfort, though, I haven’t noticed as big a difference from the Pirellis as I did when I changed the Boxster from Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 2s to Michelin Pilot Sport 4S.

Next page → My husband’s impressions after taking the tires to Royu for a scrub-in drive…!