[x7289155]

I noticed that both Alpha Guilia and BMW Ms spec'd the tires to be stretched a bit... so the walls are rounded instead of flush with the wheel like most mercedes benz

is there a benefit to that.

it sure looks more sportier this way, but i was wondering why not going with a wider tire?

[DanG]

Most people on this forum replace the tires with 255/35/19 and 275/35/19 when the tires wear out.

[x7289155]

Originally Posted by DanG

Most people on this forum replace the tires with 255/35/19 and 275/35/19 when the tires wear out.

well wider is also more expensive. i was just wondering what was the thought process for selecting smaller tires and if there are performance benefits, or just for looks or cost cutting

[DanG]

Originally Posted by x7289155

well wider is also more expensive. i was just wondering what was the thought process for selecting smaller tires and if there are performance benefits, or just for looks or cost cutting

I don't think that there are any benefits. I asked the Michelin rep at M Track Days and he couldn't explain why we had the stock tires. M3 and M4s which have the same wheels use 255/35/19 and 275/35/19s.

[Anthony1s]

I think for two reasons.

1) Narrower tires made the car spin and slide easier. So the car would feel more sportier and powerful. Would make up for the less powerful engine and attract more people who think a car is powerful and awesome because the tires spin and it can get sideways. They're stretched because they reused the m3/m4 wheels to save money.

2) It could be a design choice to give more detail to the car. When you look at the concave wheels and wide fender... the body line goes out-in-out.

[bi0hazard]

Op: I'm sure there's a reason for this. But this is literally my top pet peeve about this car. I despise looking at those stretched undersized tires...from day 1. I'm going wider asap. Unfortunately, the super sports refuse to die; still going strong at 21k miles.

[AndrewC1989]

I know some ppl track their cars/chase lap times/have tunes that put down big power. Those folks probably need the extra width and grip. Since I personally don't fall into any of those categories, I've decided to keep the OEM tire sizes once it comes time to replace the rubber.

My reasoning behind that:

1. Less grip allows you to have more fun at lower speeds. I love being able to slide around and drift without having to go very fast. On rainy days getting sideways is stupid easy.

2. There are other methods of achieving a sportier stance/look. In my case I decided on 15mm spacers + KW height adjustable springs. My sidewalls are flush with the fenders now.

and

3. I think the slightly stretched look is super sexy and wider tires would eliminate that. I personally love how much the wheel faces stick out. Looks super aggressive.

[qnet]

I like the slight poke of the tires also. I'm surprised so many don't like it, because it doesn't look that poked out IMO, and that's the way BMW designed it. The like the fact that those particular tires were made specifically for the M2.

I have the continentals, so I don't have that, just the strange roundness of them, which I hate. I'm getting the PS4's hopefully installed this weekend.

[robmx]

Agree with the above about stretched tyres looking better. Allowing the face of the wheel to sit closer to flush with the arches just makes the stance of the car a whole lot more aggressive.

But to be fair, having a bit of history in the modified VW scene, the stretch on the standard M2 tyres in pretty minimal in my eyes. I personally think an extra 1/2" front and rear wheel width with the same tyres would look amazing.

[AndrewC1989]

Originally Posted by robmx

Agree with the above about stretched tyres looking better. Allowing the face of the wheel to sit closer to flush with the arches just makes the stance of the car a whole lot more aggressive.

But to be fair, having a bit of history in the modified VW scene, the stretch on the standard M2 tyres in pretty minimal in my eyes. I personally think an extra 1/2" front and rear wheel width with the same tyres would look amazing.

You could also just downsize the tires to 235/255's to achieve the same effect... but I'm not sure if it would be worth the reduction in grip 🤔

[MPBK]

Definitely cost saving.
I scratched my wheel on curb because the tires weren't wide enough to protect it.

[CryptoM2]

Streched tire = great looking

[chip_dip19]

It's a way for the manufacturer to play with sidewall stiffness without changing the aspect ratio of the tire.

[AndrewC1989]

Originally Posted by MPBK

Definitely cost saving.
I scratched my wheel on curb because the tires weren't wide enough to protect it.

If you're hitting curbs when you park it's not the cars fault, it's the drivers fault.

If you take your time, back into spaces and use your mirrors you won't have to worry about damaging your wheels.

[x7289155]

Originally Posted by MPBK

Definitely cost saving.
I scratched my wheel on curb because the tires weren't wide enough to protect it.

that happened to me once on a previous car i owned

[MPBK]

Originally Posted by andrewc89

If you're hitting curbs when you park it's not the cars fault, it's the drivers fault.

If you take your time, back into spaces and use your mirrors you won't have to worry about damaging your wheels.

Who said anything about fault?
A tire that's wider than the rim protects the later. That is all.

[No Boost]

I've got stretched up front and ballooned in back. I prefer the ballooned look, at least for the rear tires.

[robmx]

Originally Posted by andrewc89

You could also just downsize the tires to 235/255's to achieve the same effect... but I'm not sure if it would be worth the reduction in grip 🤔

Yeah, very true, I'm not sure I'd be keen on doing that either. This is one slight dilemma I have with the M2. I love the standard wheels, but I also wouldn't mind giving it the little bit extra that it deserves (in terms of looks). A problem when you can't think of another wheel that suits the car so well.

Ps. Love what you've done with yours, will probably be cloning your suspension/spacer set up at some point next year

[x7289155]

Originally Posted by bi0hazard

Op: I'm sure there's a reason for this. But this is literally my top pet peeve about this car. I despise looking at those stretched undersized tires...from day 1. I'm going wider asap. Unfortunately, the super sports refuse to die; still going strong at 21k miles.

That's good to hear about the Michelin's life.

I got 6300 miles and they still look new

[qnet]

I just got the Michelin P4S'S installed today, and wow what a difference. They're a lot quieter and smoother riding than the Conti's. They're also not nearly as stretched as I thought, but that never bothered me. I had MPSS on my M235i, with VMR 710 wheels and they were more stretched than these, a lot more.

One thing cool about living near ATL is, it doesn't get as cold as some places, and when it does, I can just drive my other car and keep the M2 in the garage. Can't wait to see how these tires do when spring & summer comes back around.

[hshot_rooke]

Originally Posted by andrewc89

I know some ppl track their cars/chase lap times/have tunes that put down big power. Those folks probably need the extra width and grip. Since I personally don't fall into any of those categories, I've decided to keep the OEM tire sizes once it comes time to replace the rubber.

My reasoning behind that:

1. Less grip allows you to have more fun at lower speeds. I love being able to slide around and drift without having to go very fast. On rainy days getting sideways is stupid easy.

2. There are other methods of achieving a sportier stance/look. In my case I decided on 15mm spacers + KW height adjustable springs. My sidewalls are flush with the fenders now.

and

3. I think the slightly stretched look is super sexy and wider tires would eliminate that. I personally love how much the wheel faces stick out. Looks super aggressive.

Have you ever or are you afraid of bottoming out?

[AndrewC1989]

Originally Posted by qnet

I just got the Michelin P4S'S installed today, and wow what a difference. They're a lot quieter and smoother riding than the Conti's. They're also not nearly as stretched as I thought, but that never bothered me. I had MPSS on my M235i, with VMR 710 wheels and they were more stretched than these, a lot more.

One thing cool about living near ATL is, it doesn't get as cold as some places, and when it does, I can just drive my other car and keep the M2 in the garage. Can't wait to see how these tires do when spring & summer comes back around.

So you're saying the sidewalls are more flat and less rounded than the Contis? Any pics you could share with the class?

Originally Posted by hshot_rooke

Have you ever or are you afraid of bottoming out?

My front wheels rub on the fenders very very slightly when I hit big dips or bumps in the road at high speed but it's a non issue. I've looked in the wheel wells and checked the tires extensively and there is no sign of any marks, rubber or damage or anything like that. If I wanted to I could raise the fronts a few mm but I don't see the need. It's very minor and very occasional.

No, I have never bottomed out or scraped my bumper on anything. The car is not too low to daily drive (assuming you don't have a front lip).