Side note: I assume Continental shamelessly copied Michelin. It is pretty shameless. Look at the tread on both!!
So the Sport 4S in fact replaces the PSS (which, again, I have on my CTS-V). Given the cold weather warning on them, I guess I can't pitch them as anything to buy for the non-summer season. But I could as replacements for the Goodyears when that time comes.New Max Performance Summer Tires: Michelin Pilot Sport 4S and Continental ExtremeContact Sport
Friday, March 3, 2017 by Cy Chowattukunnel
Don't blame me if your area gets blasted with cold and snow tomorrow, but many meteorologists are predicting an early spring. Are you ready for spring and wondering what's new in the Max Performance Summer category?
Michelin Pilot Sport 4S
Continental ExtremeContact Sport
If you've got a fun and sporty car, it most likely came equipped with Max Performance Summer tires. If your vehicle didn't come with Max Performance Summer tires, you may want to upgrade. As with any change, there are pros and cons. Max Performance Summer tires prioritize great dry grip, very good wet grip and crisp steering response over cold weather versatility, ride compliance, wear and road manners. These tires are best suited for very spirited drivers who love to drive.
For the past few years, the Michelin Pilot Super Sport has been the benchmark. It's favored for its unique combination of steering response, dry grip, wet grip and tread noise. It also wears fairly well for a tire from this category. Michelin hasn't rested on their laurels as they've just launched the Pilot Sport 4S. We've received the Pilot Sport 4S in select sizes with more sizes arriving in the next few months. The Pilot Sport 4S will gradually replace the Pilot Super Sport in most sizes. Michelin's internal testing shows noticeable improvements in wet braking, dry braking and overall performance without compromising wear.
The competition hasn't sat still either. Continental is replacing the popular and affordable ExtremeContact DW with the ExtremeContact Sport. The ExtremeContact DW's forte is its ability to balance price, handling and ride compliance.
Which tire is right for your vehicle? Until we do our comparison test in May, there isn't any hard data to rank these four tires. What would I get for my BRZ? I'd go the Pilot Sport 4S. I suspect our testing will find major improvements with the ExtremeContact Sport compared to the ExtremeContact DW, however, I anticipate the Michelin Pilot Sport 4S coming out on top.
Be sure to check back for our test results to see which one of these new tires will dominate the Max Performance Summer category.