[Saberscar223]

I understand the 1LEs coming with summer only performance tires but why does the base SS? Even the C8 Corvette comes with All Seasons. It’s too cold here (in Texas of all places) for summers and I find my self sliding like I’m on hockey pucks.

[LT4Greg]

That’s a good question for the engineers/designers of the Camaro. I always wondered why they didn’t offer an all season tire option for the SS also.

[SSDan]

As I remember - back in the day 2015/2016 - the articles I read stated the performance target that GM used for the Gen6 Camaro SS was the BMW M4 of that time. They wanted a car that from the factory would beat the M4 in all around performance (acceleration/handling/braking - etc.) They worked with Goodyear to create a run flat tire that would provide the needed traction/grip to hit the target. Tires are a major component in handling/traction performance. What came out of the collaboration with Goodyear is the summer performance run flat tire we all got/get on the Camaro SS.

[jamala00]

Originally Posted by SSDan

As I remember - back in the day 2015/2016 - the articles I read stated the performance target that GM used for the Gen6 Camaro SS was the BMW M4 of that time. They wanted a car that from the factory would beat the M4 in all around performance (acceleration/handling/braking - etc.) They worked with Goodyear to create a run flat tire that would provide the needed traction/grip to hit the target. Tires are a major component in handling/traction performance. What came out of the collaboration with Goodyear is the summer performance run flat tire we all got/get on the Camaro SS.

I mean that does make a lot of sense. It sure does seem like a lot of guys pull those tires off the car as the very first Mod. Summer only tires would never work for me here in WI. I really want to go to the MRR 1LE wheels, but that is the major thing that stops me is I can not get all season tires that fit those wheels. I won't run a summer only tire.

[GearheadSS]

It comes with summer only tires because it's a performance car. The C8 only comes with all-seasons on the base, non-Z51 cars. Those tires were specifically designed and made for the C8, a car that has years and years of production left in it. Since the Camaro is pretty much dead, they're not going to spend the development money to come up with an all-season performance hybrid tire for it.

[ctrlz]

Originally Posted by SSDan

As I remember - back in the day 2015/2016 - the articles I read stated the performance target that GM used for the Gen6 Camaro SS was the BMW M4 of that time. They wanted a car that from the factory would beat the M4 in all around performance (acceleration/handling/braking - etc.)

I don't doubt this. More detail than I remember.
Essentially, they wanted to market the car as "track ready."
The same logic applies to their choice of semi-metallic brake pads and the inclusion of (what could have been optional) brake cooling parts in the trunk of every SS.

[Malbjey]

Originally Posted by GearheadSS

It comes with summer only tires because it's a performance car. The C8 only comes with all-seasons on the base, non-Z51 cars. Those tires were specifically designed and made for the C8, a car that has years and years of production left in it. Since the Camaro is pretty much dead, they're not going to spend the development money to come up with an all-season performance hybrid tire for it.

The base C8 is a performance car too, though...


The current gen SS Camaro has had summer tires since the beginning, so it being dead now has nothing to do with it still having summer tires later in life.

[SSDan]

Originally Posted by Malbjey

The current gen SS Camaro has had summer tires since the beginning, so it being dead now has nothing to do with it still having summer tires later in life.

The other thing to remember is that in 2016 the SS was the top performance model. There was no SS 1LE or ZL1 or the mighty ZL1 1LE. Those models all came along in 2017 or later. So, GM wanted the 2016 SS to launch as the performance Camaro able to take down the Mustang GT, Challenger and the M4. They touted it to be a track ready all around performer. Thus the tires chosen were summer high performance to make that happen. . I'm not defending their decision - its just what GM chose to do.

BTW - I now run the Conti Extreme Contact Sport - a much better all around tire (dry & rain). I live in SC so I don't need to worry about super cold weather.

[ember1205]

The funny this here is that if GM -hadn't- built this car to the high performance spec that it is, including using summer only high performance tires, lots of people would be disappointed that they couldn't buy the car better equipped from the factory for what it's capable of.

Most car manufacturers have been doing this sort of thing with SUV's and crossovers for years - they put higher performance, summer only tires on the vehicles to improve the marketing numbers that they advertise and no one bothers to tell any of the buyers that they aren't going to perform well in the winter months... Personally, I feel there should be more of an uproar around those vehicles because being an all wheel or four wheel drive SUV presents a significantly higher level of expectation for rain/snow/ice operating conditions that it does with a performance vehicle.

[Newcastle]

After this week you will be fine in Texas...I hope!

[GearheadSS]

Originally Posted by Malbjey

The current gen SS Camaro has had summer tires since the beginning, so it being dead now has nothing to do with it still having summer tires later in life.

It absolutely does. GM is not going to spend the money to develop an all-season factory available tire for a car that they know won't be around after another couple of years. Tire technology was different before 2016(when the Camaro was designed) than it was when the C8 was designed. Corvette buyers have been asking for an all-season tire for years so the team decided to worth with Michelin to design one.

If you want all seasons, go buy an aftermarket set.

[arpad_m]

There'd be no need to design anything new, all they'd need to do is offer PS4S summers or all-seasons. These are currently the best overall street tires for a Camaro. They could also offer Continentals (ECS and DWS) as a bit cheaper options. This would still cost GM money, though, so it's not gonna happen.

[ember1205]

Originally Posted by arpad_m

There'd be no need to design anything new, all they'd need to do is offer PS4S summers or all-seasons. These are currently the best overall street tires for a Camaro. They could also offer Continentals (ECS and DWS) as a bit cheaper options. This would still cost GM money, though, so it's not gonna happen.

But...

They are not runflat and don't offer the same track performance. GM would have to change the way the car is sold (include a spare or kit of some sort) AND they would have to change the marketing performance numbers.

I don't disagree about Michelin making a great tire as I have almost always ended up switching to them on my cars, though.

[Carzzy]

Originally Posted by ember1205

The funny this here is that if GM -hadn't- built this car to the high performance spec that it is, including using summer only high performance tires, lots of people would be disappointed that they couldn't buy the car better equipped from the factory for what it's capable of.

Most car manufacturers have been doing this sort of thing with SUV's and crossovers for years - they put higher performance, summer only tires on the vehicles to improve the marketing numbers that they advertise and no one bothers to tell any of the buyers that they aren't going to perform well in the winter months... Personally, I feel there should be more of an uproar around those vehicles because being an all wheel or four wheel drive SUV presents a significantly higher level of expectation for rain/snow/ice operating conditions that it does with a performance vehicle.

I know on my '21 Blazer AWD, the 20" Michelin All Season Touring tires absolutely "Suck" in the snow and ice! They are more like a Summer tire vs. All Season!