Tyres

The right tyres for your vehicle

Porsche N-marking

Porsche tyre approvals

Tyre construction

Bead core: is made of steel wire. Ensures the tyre fits securely on the rim.

Tyre wall: protects the tyre from damage. Affects driving characteristics and comfort. The tyre designations are also stamped here.

Apex: is located above the bead core. It affects tyre deformation in the event of lateral forces, steering response and driving comfort.

0° cover: this layer, made of reinforced, rubberised nylon threads, reduces the heat generated by friction. It ensures that the tyre retains its shape at high speed.

Belt layers: stabilise the contact area and provide directional stability. At least two crossed layers made of steel cords.

Carcass: several layers of rubberised textile fibres (mainly rayon) run radially (at right angles) to the direction of travel. These layers determine the tyre's load capacity.

Inner liner: airtight inner layer (butyl layer).

Tyre marking

Tyre size: is determined by width in millimetres (265), height/width ratio in percent (40), tyre construction (R = radial tyre) and rim diameter in inches (21).

Load & speed indices: indicate the tyre's maximum load in encrypted form (101) and maximum permitted speed (Y) at the prescribed air pressure.

N-marking (N0): identifies tyres developed specifically for the requirements of Porsche vehicles. The number describes the technical status at the time approval was obtained.

Tyre type: indicates the tyre model. The N-marked LATITUDE Sport 3 manufactured by Michelin is a tyre approved for the Macan.

DOT identification: provides information about the tyre's manufacturer, size, type and production date. DOT stands for (US) Department of Transportation.

Production date: consists of the week and year of production (4812 = week 48, 2012). Incidentally, a tyre is considered new for up to 5 years after production.

Just five good reasons for taking a closer look

EU tyre label

The EU label's 5 criteria.

Since the end of 2012, commercial car and truck tyres have required an EU label. Even some countries outside the EU – for example, Korea – have introduced the label, or plan to do so in future. The label or sticker shows a rating based on the following 5 criteria: Fuel efficiency, wet grip, and rolling noise. On 1 May 2021, additional symbols to indicate snow and ice grip were introduced.

Fuel efficiency.

Fuel is saved by decreasing rolling resistance, which also lessens CO₂ emissions. The energy efficiency classes range from A (most efficient) to E (least efficient).

Fuel savings generally depend on the individual vehicle and driving conditions. Driving economically can considerably reduce fuel consumption. In order to achieve optimum fuel efficiency, the prescribed tyre pressure should be adhered to.

Wet grip.

The wet grip class provides information about braking properties during wet weather conditions, and ranges from A (shortest braking distance on wet tarmac) to E (longest braking distance).

The efficiency generally depends on the vehicle and driving conditions. In order to achieve optimum wet grip, the prescribed tyre pressure should be adhered to.

Rolling noise.

The rolling noise classification provides information about how loud the tyre is when driving. The classification includes classes A (low-noise) and B (more external noise). Noise levels that previously conformed to class C are no longer permitted. Volume is provided Wet grip.

The wet grip class provides information about braking properties during wet weather conditions, and ranges from A (shortest braking distance on wet tarmac) to E (longest braking distance).

The efficiency generally depends on the vehicle and driving conditions. In order to achieve optimum wet grip, the prescribed tyre pressure should be adhered to as an absolute measured value in decibels (dB).

The following rule applies here: a 10 dB increase to noise levels is subjectively perceived as twice as loud. 70 dB is equivalent to a loud conversation, and 80 dB is equivalent to heavy road traffic. Incidentally, external rolling noise is not identical to the noise level inside the vehicle.

Snow grip.

Tyres suited to extremely snowy conditions have an "Alpine" symbol on the sidewall of the tyre with 3 summits and snowflakes.

Ice grip.

The symbol for ice grip indicates Nordic winter tyres, which are designed for use on icy road surfaces or hard snow drifts. Nordic winter tyres should only be used in very bad weather conditions (e.g. low temperatures). Using Nordic winter tyres in less severe weather conditions (e.g. wet weather or warm temperatures) can lead to suboptimum performance, particularly with regard to wet grip, handling and locking.

The EU label. No replacement for the Porsche "N" mark.

The new EU tyre label only features 3 established criteria, as well as notes on snow and ice grip for car and truck tyres, and is no replacement for Porsche's "N" mark.

There is often a conflict of interest when considering the EU label's criteria: A tyre with a particularly low rolling resistance will always provide a worse wet grip. Porsche makes no concessions when it comes to safety, and rates grip – on both dry and wet roads – more highly than fuel efficiency during tyre tests. The savings potential of a tyre with optimised rolling resistance may be tempting at first, but in an emergency situation, every metre of braking distance counts.

Only N-marked tyres provide you with the certainty that you're buying high-quality tyres tested specifically for your model of Porsche.

You can find more information about tyre labelling on the Commission's website (Tyres | EU Commission (europe.eu)). Fuel consumption can be considerably reduced by eco-friendly driving. Tyre pressure should be checked regularly to improve fuel consumption and wet grip. Particular attention must always be paid to stopping distances.

Our cooperation partner - Michelin

Porsche and Michelin – a successful partnership for maximum performance.

Porsche and Michelin have been working closely together since 1969. And since 2002, Michelin has been Porsche's global tyre cooperation partner. Collaboration starts long before a vehicle's market launch. With a great deal of forward planning, this experienced tyre manufacturer develops specific products that are exactly tailored to our models.

To Michelin