Dark Horse Handling Package Tires (Trofeo RS tires) vs. Nanking CR-S - Track Test

[Junkyard Dog]

This is a Porsche, but this guy compares the Trofeo RS tires to the cheaper Nanking CR-S

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[Junkyard Dog]

It is a GT3RS, wow, that car is fast.

To save you from looking for the lap times, which are not highlighted in any way, the Trofeo RS is about 3 seconds faster in lap time, but he ends up concluding that the Nanking CR-S is better, mainly due to price, which I find rather hilarious since he is not lapping in a Mustang but in a GT3RS, which, if you can find one, will cost you around about $400k after dealer mark up.

The laps are not perfect, as other, slower (aren't they all slower when you are driving a GT3RS?) cars are on the track, but, still, that is a massive difference, and he gets held up at one point on the "fast lap" with the Trofeo RS.

Anyway, sharing here for those of you who have the Dark Horse with the Handling Package and those insane Pirelli Trofeo RS tires.

 

[Bikeman315]

It is a GT3RS, wow, that car is fast.

To save you from looking of the lap times, which are not highlighted in any way, the Trofeo RS is about 3 seconds faster in lap time, but he ends up concluding that the Nanking CR-S is better, mainly due to price, which I find rather hilarious since he is not lapping in a Mustang but in a GT3RS, which, if you can find one, will cost you around about $400k after dealer mark up.

The laps are not perfect, as other, slower (aren't they all slower when you are driving a GT3RS?) cars are on the track, but, still, that is a massive difference, and he gets held up at one point on the "fast lap" with the Trofeo RS.

Anyway, sharing here for those of you who have the Dark Horse with the Handling Package and those insane Pirelli Trofeo RS tires.

So the takeaway for us “lowly” Mustang owners is that this is a respectable alternative to the Pirelli.

 

[w00tcamp]

The Trofeo RS tires are absolutely out of this world. They say 180 TW but they drive like a slick. Mine live in the garage and only come out for track days.

 

[Junkyard Dog]

The Trofeo RS tires are absolutely out of this world. They say 180 TW but they drive like a slick. Mine live in the garage and only come out for track days.

What tires do you use for the street?

 

[w00tcamp]

What tires do you use for the street?

I was using a square Conti extreme contact setup, but upgraded to wider Michelin PS4S setup. I use them for street, autocross, and wet track.

 

[Junkyard Dog]

I need to put some PS4S's on for the street, but honestly I am dreading it a little. Although I know they are better for when it rains, and it is a good tire (I had them on my Audi before this car), I am really enjoying the Trofeo RS tires.

How does it feel going from the stock tires to PS4S?

 

[LouG]

I need to put some PS4S's on for the street, but honestly I am dreading it a little. Although I know they are better for when it rains, and it is a good tire (I had them on my Audi before this car), I am really enjoying the Trofeo RS tires.

How does it feel going from the stock tires to PS4S?

I think the equivalent to the Pirellis are Mich Cup 2R and maybe Cup 2's. I doubt you'd notice much difference on the street at sane speeds.

 

[Sampick]

When I switched my trofeos to Ps4S I noticed something. Despite being the same size 305 up front and 315 in the rear, the michelins are approximately 3/4in wider. So instead of a somewhat stretched fit like the Pirelli, the sidewall sits square on the wheel edge and I find I lost a bit of steering feel. It’s definitely more sluggish on initial turn in.
my next set I’ll size down to 295 and 305, exactly as the gt350 which also had same size wheels (10.5in and 11.0in) and it should bring back that slight stretch in the sidewall

 

[w00tcamp]

When I switched my trofeos to Ps4S I noticed something. Despite being the same size 305 up front and 315 in the rear, the michelins are approximately 3/4in wider. So instead of a somewhat stretched fit like the Pirelli, the sidewall sits square on the wheel edge and I find I lost a bit of steering feel. It’s definitely more sluggish on initial turn in.
my next set I’ll size down to 295 and 305, exactly as the gt350 which also had same size wheels (10.5in and 11.0in) and it should bring back that slight stretch in the sidewall

That’s interesting. I haven’t actually measured, but I definitely feel like the PS4S sidewall is softer, so maybe that’s partially just from compression. I’ll typically run the PS4S at 36-38 PSI hot, but the Trofeo RS I’ll run at 32 psi hot.

I need to put some PS4S's on for the street, but honestly I am dreading it a little. Although I know they are better for when it rains, and it is a good tire (I had them on my Audi before this car), I am really enjoying the Trofeo RS tires.

How does it feel going from the stock tires to PS4S?

For what they are, the PS4S feel great. They’re quieter, the tram lining is way less significant, and the car doesn’t hydroplane. I got them as a daily driver and they’re exceptional at that. I live in suburban Florida where curvy roads are nearly non existent, so for daily driving I couldn’t care less about many performance metrics. As an autocross and wet track tire, they punch way above their weight in terms of what treadwear rating would have you believing.

 

[smurfslayer]

I need to put some PS4S's on for the street, but honestly I am dreading it a little. Although I know they are better for when it rains, and it is a good tire (I had them on my Audi before this car), I am really enjoying the Trofeo RS tires.

How does it feel going from the stock tires to PS4S?

After about 1800 street miles on the Trofeos, mine were absolutely shagged, spinning everywhere I went, even when judicious on the throttle. I babied the car for a few hundred miles and had to switch as they got less sticky and more dangerous.

The Michelins I put on obviously stuck way better than the shagged Trofeos. So I can’t give you an accurate new to new comparison, but they have plenty of available traction in the dry. I have only been in light rain with them.
I would point out that Dark Horse Track Attack uses the exact same PS4S at street pressures and those cars stick like glue.

I’m sure the Pirellis are a good, competent tire in their prime but it’s just impractical for a street tire, which is were 99.5% of us are using them.

 

[robvas]

I would point out that Dark Horse Track Attack uses the exact same PS4S at street pressures and those cars stick like glue.

PS4S is definitely not a track tire and gets greasy after two laps. Big difference than the Cup2's or Trofeos

 

[smurfslayer]

PS4S is definitely not a track tire and gets greasy after two laps. Big difference than the Cup2's or Trofeos

Understood, but they definitely held up fine over the 4-5 laps at a time there. I’m sure they give up some traction over 9/10 but you’re only going to get to that limit on a track, while pushing.

 

[Junkyard Dog]

When I switched my trofeos to Ps4S I noticed something. Despite being the same size 305 up front and 315 in the rear, the michelins are approximately 3/4in wider. So instead of a somewhat stretched fit like the Pirelli, the sidewall sits square on the wheel edge and I find I lost a bit of steering feel. It’s definitely more sluggish on initial turn in.
my next set I’ll size down to 295 and 305, exactly as the gt350 which also had same size wheels (10.5in and 11.0in) and it should bring back that slight stretch in the sidewall

The 295 PS4S has 1.2" more tread width than the 305 Pirelli Trofeo RS, so you are not going to get that "stretch in the sidewall."

The 305 PS4s has 1" more tread than the 315 Pirelli Trofeo RS, but these two are pretty close in tire height.

 

[Junkyard Dog]

When I switched my trofeos to Ps4S I noticed something. Despite being the same size 305 up front and 315 in the rear, the michelins are approximately 3/4in wider. So instead of a somewhat stretched fit like the Pirelli, the sidewall sits square on the wheel edge and I find I lost a bit of steering feel. It’s definitely more sluggish on initial turn in.
my next set I’ll size down to 295 and 305, exactly as the gt350 which also had same size wheels (10.5in and 11.0in) and it should bring back that slight stretch in the sidewall

For what it is worth, that British YouTuber who does all the tire reviews, spelled "tyre" in his videos, always notes that the PS4S has softer steering feel. He hates that and goes on and on about it before commenting that they do grip well in the turns for a non-track tire.

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