Best Tires For Nissan 370Z - Complete Guide

‍Best All-Season High-Performance Tires for Nissan 370Z

Continental ExtremeContact DWS06

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Judging by looks alone, the Continental ExtremeContact DWS06 seems capable of handling all types of situations. Have you ever heard of an Ultra-High-Performance tire capable of running in the snow?

The ExtremeContact DWS06 can be thought of as a hybrid tire that delivers features of all-season tires and the performance of UHP tires. Many find it hard to believe a tire of this capability is available for their commercially produced sports car like the 370Z.

Ultra-high-performance tires are designed to deliver better traction and grip, but this often compromises tire noise. However, the ExtremeContact DWS06 is different; it not only delivers exceptional performance, but it is also very quiet even at high speeds.

The tire delivers a comfortable and smooth ride. Even when running over potholes or bumps, it absorbs a lot of the force and maintains stability throughout.

Let us dig a little into the name of the tire. The letters DWS are abbreviations for Dry, Wet, and Snow. These are indicators mounted on the tire and disappear as the tire wears down.

The S is the first to go, which indicates that the tire is no longer suited for snow-covered surfaces. The W is the next to go, which means that the tire will not be reliable on wet and slippery surfaces. The last to go is the D, which implies that the tire cannot be used on any surface and must be replaced as soon as possible.

D for Dry

The tire features an asymmetric tread pattern with an off-center rib and broad shoulder blocks. There are unique grooves on the tread which ensure top-notch grip on dry pavements. The broad shoulder blocks deliver excellent handling and make the tire responsive to steering input. They also provide excellent stability when taking corners.

The tire displays its sporty DNA when it is pushed to its limits. The steering response is accurate, and the handling is top-notch. The braking performance of the Nissan 370Z is exceptional as these tires maintain their grip on the road like glue.

However, the tires need to be at the optimal temperature to deliver maximum traction and grip. If the tires are not hot enough, they will not deliver their best.

W for Wet

The tread compound on the ExtremeContact DWS06 comprises high silica with +Silane additives and Sport Plus Technology. This advanced blend ensures responsiveness, stability, and grip on slippery and wet surfaces. The compound is engineered to remain pliable in all types of weather and hence maintains road grip and traction throughout the year.

The tire delivers relentless grip on wet surfaces. The tires feel stable and composed even when rolling through water puddles or in heavy rain at high speeds. The braking performance on wet surfaces is also top-notch. Even with hard braking in wet conditions, you will not experience unwarranted slips or slides on your 370Z.

S for Snow

The tread is equipped with several traction grooves, which serve as biting edges when encountering icy or snowy surfaces. There are three circumferential and several lateral grooves, which help channel out slush and water to allow the tire to maintain traction and grip.

The tire's performance on snow depends on two things; how much snow there is and how much tread you have remaining for snow traction. If the tire has depleted the S marked tread, you will experience minimal traction on snow. But if the tire is relatively new and the S indicator is still visible, you will be able to get traction and grip on surfaces that are covered with up to an inch of ice or snow.

Pros of Continental ExtremeContact DWS06

• The tire delivers impressive traction and handling on all surfaces, including wet, dry, and light snow.
• The ride quality is smooth, comfortable, and quiet.
• Impressive steering response and cornering stability
• Tread life is good

Cons of Continental ExtremeContact DWS06

• The treadwear warranty of 50,000 miles gets halved if used on a vehicle with different front and rear sizes, as with 370Z.

Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3 Plus

{{tire-info-with-links="/tire/michelin-pilot-sport-a-s-3-plus"}}

Michelin has always been in the front line to produce ultra-high-performance tires. This is because the company holds a rich history of producing racing series tires, which are famous all across the globe, including F1 races. Come to think of it, why would you not want a tire with technologies borrowed from F1 tires on your Nissan 370Z?

Michelin claims the Pilot Sport A/S 3+ delivers top-notch dry and wet traction, along with added confidence for the driver in wintry conditions. The tire features an advanced tread compound comprising Extreme Silica and sunflower oil, bound together using the Helio+ technology. This tech significantly improves the tire's pliability and traction on wet surfaces and in extremely cold temperatures.

The tire is more focused on performance than on ride comfort. The ride feels a little firm and noisy, but with the engine roar of the 370Z, you will hardly hear the tire noise at high speeds.

The tread is designed in an asymmetric and aggressive-looking pattern. It features broad shoulder blocks, which equip the tire with exceptional cornering abilities, and help it maintain road grip. There are four circumferential and numerous lateral grooves that efficiently evacuate water to provide traction on wet and slippery surfaces.

Michelin has equipped the Pilot Sport A/S 3+ with Variable Contact Patch 3.0 technology borrowed from endurance racing tires. This tech makes the tire more durable, even when pushed to its limits.

The tire is equipped with traditional tread wear indicators, which are small and narrow rectangular blocks. These blocks start to appear as the tread wears down. Once the tire has completed its useful life, these indicators become level with the tread surface, indicating that the tire now needs to be replaced.

Dry Pavement Performance

One of the best features of this tire is the impressive steering response. The tire seems to react simultaneously to the steering input, depicting its ultra-high-performance class. This level of steering response is the best among competitors of this class. The tires also communicate with the driver. If the tires are pushed to the limit, the driver can feel which ones are losing their traction.

The traction and grip of this tire make one forget that it is an all-season UHP. It almost feels and handles like a summer performance tire thanks to its superb traction and grip and impressive stability at very high speeds.

Wet Pavement Performance

The Pilot Sport A/S 3+ feels very responsive and stable on wet surfaces. It is often termed one of the best UHP tires for rainy conditions. The tire is highly resistant to hydroplaning and maintains traction and grip even when running on wet twisty roads.

You will hardly notice any understeer or oversteer on your 370Z when taking high-speed corners in rainy conditions. The tire gives the driver a feeling of safety and control even if the powerful sports car is pushed hard. The braking performance is also top-notch, with a short braking distance on wet surfaces.

Snow-Covered Pavement Performance

Michelin claims the Pilot Sport A/S 3+ delivers 28% more traction in snowy conditions than its predecessor, the Pilot Sport A/S 3. The tire performs surprisingly well in light snow, maintaining traction and grip. The braking performance is also very good for its category.

However, the Pilot Sport A/S 3+ is not a winter tire alternative. If you need to drive your 370Z in areas that experience frigid temperatures or receive heavy snow, it is best to use winter tires.

Pros of Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+

• Very responsive and lively steering feel.
•  A lot of information about the road can be felt on the steering wheel.
• The tire has an impressive cornering grip due to the advanced tread design and compound.
• It offers excellent traction and braking performance on wet pavements.
• Reliable on light snow
• It features a very good tread life, backed by a 45.000-mile warranty, which is adequate for this class of tires.

Cons of Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+

• The ride quality is firm, and a lot of unevenness gets transferred to the cabin.
• It can be pretty noisy when running at high speeds.
• The premium features and technologies come at a premium price.

Pirelli P Zero All Season Plus

{{tire-info-with-links="/tire/pirelli-p-zero-all-season-plus"}}

P is for Pirelli, and P is for performance; this is what many car enthusiasts believe when selecting tires. One of the best tires that the renowned Italian tire maker offers is the Pirelli P Zero All Season Plus. This tire offers nimble handling, excellent wet and dry traction, and short stopping distances and is well suited for coupes and sports cars like the Nissan 370Z.

The tread compound comprises a unique blend of high silica and polymers, which provide traction and road grip on wet and dry pavements. The tread compound is molded into an asymmetric tread, which flaunts several different sized elements to minimize road noise. The continuous center rib and broad shoulder blocks deliver top-notch handling, responsiveness, and cornering stability.

There are four circumferential grooves, which work diagonal sipes to ensure efficient water evacuation and high hydroplaning resistance. As a result, the tire provides excellent traction on wet surfaces and even when rolling in heavy rain.

The tread comprises two steel belts wrapped spirally in nylon cords. This design ensures that the ride quality remains smooth without compromising on performance.

Dry Pavement Performance

The advanced tread compound and pattern work together to deliver top-notch performance on dry pavements. The braking distance is short, and with the crisp response and handling, the driver feels in control at all times. You can push your 370Z to its limits, and this tire will have your back and maintain traction and stability throughout your performance show.

Wet Pavement Performance

The tire is highly resistant to hydroplaning and maintains traction on wet and slippery surfaces. The driver feels confident with excellent grip and traction even when running on twisty wet roads or taking sharp corners. The braking performance is also among the best in class.

Snow-Covered Pavement Performance

The tread on P Zero All Season Plus is equipped with additional siping, which helps deliver traction in light snow and slush. The tread pattern is efficient at channeling out slush and snow, which helps it maintain traction on snow-covered roads.

However, this tire is not suited for deep snow or freezing temperatures. If you need to drive your 370Z in harsh winter conditions, consider getting a set of winter tires to ensure maximum performance.

Pros of Pirelli P Zero All Season Plus

• The tire delivers excellent steering response and stability on dry pavements.
• The braking performance on both wet and dry surfaces is top-notch.
• The tire gives the driver a sense of control and added confidence on wet and dry pavements.
• Traction in light snow and ice is excellent.
• It features a very good tread life, backed by a 50,000-mile treadwear warranty.

Cons of Pirelli P Zero All Season Plus

• Not suited for freezing conditions or deep snow and ice.

Bridgestone Potenza RE 980 AS

{{tire-info-with-links="/tire/bridgestone-potenza-re980-a-s"}}

Bridgestone tires are considered to be among the best regarding performance. They keep an edge over the competition by flaunting some of the most advanced technologies from the company. The tires are reliable and preferred OEM choice on many sports cars and performance sedans.

The Bridgestone Potenza RE980AS is suited for drivers who like to push their vehicles to the limit but do not want to forgo the all-season feature. It is a UHP tire and competes directly with top contenders like the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+ and the Continental ExtremeContact DWS06.

The tire is designed to deliver traction, handling, and cornering performance throughout the year. It is aimed towards drivers who prioritize enjoyable driving above all else. The tire is equipped with several advanced technologies to attain all these features.

It begins with a highly engineered tread compound and the smartly designed asymmetric tread pattern, which work together to deliver exceptional wet and dry performance. Even with a lot of focus on performance, Bridgestone did not miss out on optimizing the tread to ensure minimum noise.

The tread is also equipped with diagonal slots, improving traction and optimizing road contact. There are also 3D Sipes, which help the tire maintain stability during hard corners. A high density of sipes accounts for biting edges which provide traction on slippery surfaces and even light snow.

Bridgestone has added two plies of polyester in the tread and three in the sidewall to make the tire sturdy enough to withstand harsh conditions when performing. A stiff sidewall filler ensures that the tire maintains its shape during sharp cornering.

The tire has standard tread wear indicators equipped into the tread. These comprise narrow bars, which cannot be seen when the tire is new but become visible as the tire wears down. When these indicators become level with the tread surface, the tire needs to be replaced immediately.

Dry Pavement Performance

The Potenza RE980AS is one of the best, if not the best, ultra-high-performance tires regarding handling and responsiveness. The tire only adds to the driving pleasure with its lightning-quick response and high-speed stability. Thanks to the advanced technologies incorporated, the tire maintains its shape, traction, and stability even during high-speed corners.

The road grip is exceptional in dry conditions. The tread compound ensures that the tire remains pliable and maintains traction throughout the year. It maintains traction during hard accelerations of the Nissan 370Z, and the braking performance is also top-notch.

Wet Pavement Performance

The performance of Potenza RE980AS on wet conditions is excellent and can even be compared to summer performance tires. The tire maintains grip and traction even in very low temperatures. With excellent hydroplaning resistance, the tire remains glued to wet pavements. Similarly, braking performance is also outstanding.

Snow-Covered Pavement Performance

With the added sipes in the tread, the tire provides excellent traction in light snow. It maintains its pliability and grip even at freezing temperatures. However, this tire is not a replacement for winter tires and is not suited for deep snow or ice.

Pros of Bridgestone Potenza RE 980 AS

• Exceptional responsiveness makes driving more enjoyable.
• Grip and traction on dry pavement are excellent.
• Highly resistant to hydroplaning and maintains grip and traction in wet conditions.
• The tread compound is highly durable and withstands many forces without shape distortion.
• The tire emits minimum noise even at high speeds.
• It retains flexibility even in freezing conditions.

Cons of the Bridgestone Potenza RE 980 AS

• The ride quality is slightly stiff as this tire is more performance-oriented.

Best Summer Ultra High-Performance Tires for Nissan 370Z

Michelin Pilot Sport 4S

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The Michelin Pilot Sport 4S is a max-performance tire designed for car enthusiasts who want the best performance from their sports cars like the Nissan 370Z. Since the tire is designed only for performance, it forgoes the all-season capability and comes in a tread compound suited for warmer climates.

Michelin claims that the Pilot Sport 4S is a derivative of endurance racing and comes with superb wet traction and exceptional dry traction. The company also claims that this tire can help racers achieve the best lap time on dry and wet surfaces, and it delivers the shortest braking distance in its class.

The tread compound of this tire is taken directly from endurance racing tires. It focuses more on dry rubber to ensure impressive handling and braking performance on dry surfaces. Michelin has added a silica-infused compound in the shoulder blocks and center ribs for performance on wet pavements, ensuring excellent braking performance and crisp handling.

The tread is equipped with the Variable Contact Patch 3.0 technology. This tech uses artificial intelligence to evenly distribute the pressure across the contact patch, resulting in better tread life.

An interesting technology, which is not expected on performance tires, is Michelin's Acoustic technology. This tech equips the tread with a sound-absorbing layer, resulting in a quieter ride. It is interesting to find a noise cancellation technology on a tire focused purely on performance.

The tire is equipped with traditional wear indicators hidden in the tire grooves. They comprise narrow bars which are hidden initially but start to appear as the tire wears down. When they become level with the tread's surface, the tire needs to be replaced.

Dry Pavement Performance

If the performance of Pilot Sport 4S on dry tarmac were to be described in one word, it would be "exceptional." Michelin is well-known for producing superior performance tires, and the Pilot Sport 4S takes it a step further.

Initially, the Pilot Sport 4S feels a little soft and comfy. This feature must be for those who install this tire on passenger vehicles and like to get a good ride quality.

But push the tire towards its limit, and it starts to show its natural face. Once the tire is warmed up, it delivers excellent handling and steering responsiveness. If you like to push your 370Z around corners, this tire will ensure you do it with maximum control and stability.

Similarly, the grip levels are extraordinary; even if you push your 370Z to its limits, the Pilot Sport 4S will make sure you do not lose grip or traction throughout. The same can be said for stability at high speeds and braking performance, which are also exceptional.

Furthermore, the tire does not require too much time to warm up and is easy to handle when running at the limits. For drifters, the control makes this tire a favorite.

Wet Pavement Performance

The advanced tread compound ensures excellent grip on wet and slippery surfaces. The cornering abilities of the tire are excellent, and so is the traction, even for powerful cars like the 370Z. The braking performance is also top-notch with an impressively short distance.

Hydroplaning resistance is one area where this tire seems to lack a little. With Michelin's focus on performance, the circumferential grooves are designed to be narrow, not allowing the tire to evacuate water efficiently. The hydroplaning resistance is not bad, but it cannot precisely be called exceptional.

Snow-Covered Pavement Performance

The Pilot Sport 4S is a summer max-performance tire and should not be used in winter, let alone on snow or ice. In cold weather, the tire will lose its pliability and not deliver any performance.

Pros of Michelin Pilot Sport 4S

• The tire offers top-notch cornering abilities on dry pavement.
• It delivers exceptional acceleration traction and braking performance.
• It does not take too long to warm up.
• Excellent wet grip and traction.
• Wet braking performance is among the best in the category
• Steering responsiveness gives an added sense of control
• Even at the grip limit, the tire is easy to handle and control
• Very quiet for a max-performance tire

Cons of Michelin Pilot Sport 4S

• The tire has narrow circumferential grooves, leading to slight hydroplaning during heavy rain.
• Quite expensive; the premium features and performance this tire offers come at a very high price.

Firestone Firehawk Indy 500

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Firestone is a subsidiary of the legendary Bridgestone, and it is expected to borrow a lot of advanced technologies from the mother company. The Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 is the best of what Firestone has to offer. It is highly inspired by the Bridgestone Potenza RE003, which has remained a popular choice among car enthusiasts.

The Firehawk Indy 500 vows to deliver excellent grip, traction, and responsiveness for a price much lower than premium competitors. It is designed for performance sedans, sports cars, and coupes and is aimed at drivers who like to push their powerful rides to the limit.

Like all Summer UHP tires, the Indy 500 aims to deliver top-notch cornering stability, excellent acceleration traction, and exceptional braking performance. Many drivers use them only for track days, as they can be a little stiff when driving over unevenly paved streets.

Firestone has put in many technologies on this tire, making it one of the best the company offers. The tread compound comprises long-chain carbon and high silica content. The compound is molded into an aggressive pattern, which comprises broad shoulder blocks to ensure maximum cornering stability.

The Pulse Groove technology, which is found on the central circumferential groove, helps the tire evacuate water more efficiently than traditional grooves. The tire is equipped with two additional circumferential grooves, which work together with the central groove and lateral sipes to ensure top-notch wet traction and braking performance on slippery surfaces.

The Firehawk Indy 500 does not have any tread wear indicators on the tire. Instead, the company recommends the penny test to analyze the depth of the tread. Stick a penny in the grooves; if the tread touches Abraham Lincoln's head with the penny upside down, the tread depth is 2/32 inches. If the tread does not touch the head, the tire needs to be replaced.

Dry Pavement Performance

On dry tarmac, the Firehawk Indy 500 is impressive in terms of responsiveness; it does everything you would expect it to, even when driving on twisty roads. Traction and grip are also excellent and improve as the tire warms up. It maintains stability and performance even with powerful cars like the 370Z.

The Firehawk Indy 500 can be almost as good as premium tires in road grip and braking performance. This is not to say that it is the best; some tires perform even better. But for the price, the Indy 500 delivers excellent overall performance.

Wet Pavement Performance

It is a myth that summer UHP tires are not suited for rain or wet conditions. This myth could not be further from the truth. In fact, UHP tires are equipped with technologies that make them highly resistant to hydroplaning. A perfect example is the Firehawk Indy 500, which resists hydroplaning and maintains traction even during heavy rain spells.

With the Pulse Groove Technology equipped on the central circumferential groove, this tire evacuates water much more efficiently than similarly priced competitors. It performs pretty well in heavy rain and delivers excellent acceleration traction and braking performance.

Snow-Covered Pavement Performance

The Indy 500 is a summer UHP tire and cannot be used in frigid temperatures. Using the tire on snow or ice is totally out of the question. Running in cold conditions is risky and can also lead to permanently damaging the tire.

Pros of Firestone Firehawk Indy 500

• Very responsive to steering inputs.
• Thanks to the excellent hydroplaning resistance, the tire provides exceptional traction and grip on wet and dry tarmac.
• The braking distance is short on wet and dry surfaces.
• Great value for money.

Cons of Firestone Firehawk Indy 500

• The tire is one of the best among similarly priced tires, but premium tires offer better performance.