Michelin Pilot Alpin PA4 N-Spec Sizes & review

This is definitely the best tire I have ever purchased in my entire life. A little background: I live in Chicago, and it is now December. I bought a 2011 Shelby Mustang GT-500 with SVTPP in July, and it came with Goodyear F1 G2 summer performance tires – 19″ front and 20″ rear. I needed a good winter performance tires, and literally the only one that would fit on these wheels was the Michelin Alpine.That said: they are AMAZING! I have never owned such amazing tires with such good traction in below freezing weather! They are literally incredible – with over 500 rwtq, I can drop the clutch in 1st gear and get very little rear tire spin – in freezing weather conditions! These tires HOOK, and they hook hard! I am in shock; I would use these tires year round if I could (they will likely wear far faster if I kept them on in summer). But bottom line, the traction is amazing – it is like I just did a burnout on a 90 degree day at the track with performance tires – they hook in a way I didn’t think was possible. Before, on my summer tires, I got stuck pulling out of a parking space with less than 1/2 inch of snow on the ground. A flat parking space! And now, as long as the snow is lower than my front lip, I can drive with no issues.These tires are truly incredible – look at the other reviews. Honestly the best tires I have owned in my entire life, and I’ve had Blizzaks, X-Ice, and Continental DSWs. I can’t recommend these enough – I will never buy another winter tire as long as I live.

I swapped out my OEM Continental 5P summer tires for these, and am so happy I did. They’re quiet, responsive, sticky, pliable in cold temps (unlike the 5Ps, which are terrible below 65F). They cost a lot, but Michelins are always worth it. I can’t wait to see how they perform in the snow, but on light ice they’re fine. I’ll keep them on year-round even though they’re winter tires, as there are few alternatives in this UHP size range.

I purchased these as winter tires to replace the 20″ Michelin Sport 4S that came on the car and are now hibernating for the winter. I mounted these on 19” Monte Titano MT7 rims. The wheels and tires where on my door step in less than 48 hrs after i placed the order

I am into my second season on a set of these tires on my 2015 Porsche Turbo S, which I drive every day, rain, snow or ice, in New England in the Boston area. The car is an absolute beast in winter conditions on these tires – super stable and predictable, and even holds its own in unplowed snow. I am careful on ice – I guess that’s to be expected – but other than that I have pretty much the same fun with it as on summer tires. Plus, this is the first set of snows that I have had on any of my Turbos (I have driven several since 1996) that I have not been just desperate to get off the car when spring comes around (I have used all the other major brands at one time or another). These are certainly not as sticky as summer tires when things start to get warm, but they are quiet, smooth running, totally predictable, and stay in balance very nicely.

My only gripe about it is that it’s hard to do donuts in the snow… the grip is that good. LOLI think it’s the perfect winter tire for where I live (eastern WA). We don’t see a whole lot of snow up here but enough to make you want to get winter tires. I like to go skiing, so driving up the mountain on this tire paired with Audi’s quatro traction makes me feel very confident. Also it’s pretty quiet as far as winter tires go. I will definitely buy again.

I have been driving RWD cars in MN for 15 years, and used over five different set of snow tires. This is the best performance winter tires I have ever driven on. It’s very predictably in snow and ice. It also very good/quite on dry roads. So far I have driven in 5 snow storms with ice packed, unplowed roads, and it performed flawlessly and exceeded my expectations in those conditions. Too early to say on wear but after 3000 miles it looks like new and I drive a 600 hp car. I’m officially impressed with this snow tire. Will look at Michelin tires when I need snow tires again.If you have a high performance car and need performance winter tires, at this moment this is the best tire you can get. I highly recommend this winter tires for anyone needs to drive in cold/snow areas.

Took these up to Squaw Valley with my AWD Tesla Model 3. Did great in the few inches of snow. Almost no loss of traction. When I intentionally tried to slide in the parking lot it did a very controlled drift. Drove back through Pass on lots of Ice, did well. Only had a few slip and slide moments, although it was 18 degrees after the pass was closed for 12 hours from cars spinning out. All in all works well for the Tesla so far.

Had to remove the high performance Z summer tires due to the fact they “break up/chip” at temperatures below 47 degrees; so last winter, the 911 stayed parked mostly due to temperatures and not snow/ice. This year, got four of these great tires (911-4S is all wheel drive) [tires are different sizes front and rear, but same exact model] and have had it out in 20-45 degree temperatures and the tires are more than adequate. At highway speeds of 80mph, they are noisy and their handling is what one would expect of a snow tire, and not that of a high performance summer tire. That said, if I ever have reason to drive in snow or ice (not that I’d ever take the 911 out in such conditions unless emergency) I feel confident with its great design and favorable ratings by other consumers who do “drive in snow/ice” that I would be good to go as well. For the money, I get peace of mind knowing that should the weather turn nasty this winter and I have to go somewhere, my 911 will go in the snow!

I bought these because they were only ones I could get that fit (I was looking for all weather.). My summer tires were/are like driving slippery at any temperature below 50F. At 40F, like glass or hard plastic. Since purchase, I have driven in wet weather at 30 to 40F and they provide excellent traction. No more slipping on hard acceleration. No hydroplaning at highway speeds.They feel fine at temperatures up to 80F and do not get hot. They are much quieter than the summer tires and provide a more comfortable ride.They are not as responsive as the summer tires but provide much better traction in the cold(anything 50F are cooler). I have 2500 miles and they show no wear. I will switch back to summer tires but keep these for next winter also. I would buy again. I am impressed.

Michelin just released these tires in two different varieties. These are the Porsche developed ‘N-spec’ directional version. There is also the asymmetrical tread pattern suggested for AMG Mercs and other high end cars.Although I haven’t had a chance to test them in harsh winter conditions, I have had them out in some rain, freezing rain, and sub-zero temperatures. They grip like crazy and have very minimal tire noise. I had a set of Bridgestone LM-25v’s on the car last winter and I was ready to throw them off a cliff. In dry conditions I can still drive like a 450hp gazelle and not have to worry about a close encounter with death. Highly recommended if you have the cash.

First let me say I feel obligated to write this review as I always read others reviews to help me in my decision as to which tires to buy. I had decided on a particular tire for my car but was concerned about giving up performance that is the usual trade-off when buying a snow tire. Thank you to the Tire Rack representative on the phone when I called to obtain more info. He asked good questions and when he found out I had a Porsche, recommended a tire designed specifically for my high performance vehicle. Now as for the tires, I paid what I expected to for a lesser, non high performance snow tire. I drove in Oregon in late December during serious snow and ice condidtions. The tires never slid, stumbled or had any trouble with traction on roads consisting of snow, ice and a mixture of both. The tires are as quiet if not more so than my stock summer tires which was a major surprise. I was willing to sacrifice comfort and noise for the security of a dedicated snow tire. On dry roads they ride, handle and brake excellently. and in the snow, I was so grateful I did not settle for just all season tires. I have no doubt in my mind that all season tires would not have been able to handle the conditions I drove though. The peace of mind these tires gave me and my family cannot be overstated. The added bonus that Tire Rack had them for the same price as all seasons was an added surprise. These are the third set of Michelin tires I have put on three different vehicles and I completly understand where the extra money goes. They may cost a bit more, but perform better, last longer and ultimeately will save money over other lesser brands that have an inferior warranty and performance. Back to these tires, I trust them enough that I would have no problem recommending them to anyone who wants the security and peace of mind they afford them and their family. I cannot say enough good things about them. Well done Michelin, your engineering expertise is unsurpassed!

Best tires for the money. I had a beater winter car with non-sport winter tires for the really bad days when I didn’t want to risk the nicer car. However, I only drove it a couple of times due to the weather. Otherwise, the PA4s made me feel confident enough to drive on them. There were a few times when due to ice with lesser tires I believe I would have lost control, but these tires shine compared to any other in the winter performance category.

– Rear tires (265/19/40) were “special price” but were 3.5 years old (manf. mid 2012, pur. 10/2015). (the manuf date is last 4 digits of the DOT string of numbers).- Front tires were “normal price” and 1 year old (manf. mid 2014, pur. 10/2015).- Labeled as “Performance Winter” which means it is a compromise between “Snow” and “Performance.” It is V rated. Porsche dealer says hi-speed tires can’t be patched/repaired; have to be replaced so they sell a replacement plan which assumes you replace 2 tire/wheel combo ($about $1,800 @ dealer price) over 5 years.- As a combo tire, you get “Good” snow traction, “Good Ice Braking”, “Good Hydroplaning”, “Good Handling”, “Good Ride Comfort.” The minus side is “Fair Wet Braking” and “Fair Dry Braking.” (Therefore, adjust your braking habit on cleared roads.)Overall, you get enhanced snow performance, but compromised dry braking and adequate dry weather performance.- These are unidirectional tires, meaning, pay attention to the rotation marking (arrow pointed forward).

Has been light winter with little snow this year in my area (NE US), but what I did drive in mainly slush was good. Feeling is very confident in dry and wet (rainy) roads. Cornering has been good as well as higher speeds on highway. Smooth ride and quieter that my summers. Wear has been light even in warmer temp (60 F was hottest day). Should be able to get few seasons from them.

These Michelin PN4 N-Spec winter snow tires are amazing. I installed them on my 2015 911S a few weeks ago. I have never driven my other Porsche (2007) during the winter or on any other bad weather day. The salesman at the dealership convinced me that I could drive my 911 during the winter. He only uses all-season tires (of course he is a professional race car driver (he is the person in the Porsche Hybrid 918 car with Jay Leno)). I was very hesitant when I went out the first couple of times. I live in Utah and we have had some good snow storms. This has given me a chance to drive through new snow, powder snow, slush and ice. I am truly impressed with these tires. I have Nitto M+S (don’t buy) on a G37X (coupe), Hankooks (great snow tire) on a QX70S (SUV) and Blizzaks (the newer ones are great snow tires) on a FX35 (SUV). I usually drive the SUV during the winter. This year I am driving the Porsche unless the bumper is pushing snow…. or I am going skiing.

Tire has performed well in all conditions, wet/dry/snow. The noise level has been very good for a snow tire. It’s quieter then the OEM Conti’s. Notice very little wear after 5,000 miles of first winter. Will definitely buy again. Audi doesn’t recommend anything other than their AO spec tires, but these N Spec tires are perfect for the A8L.

I was super worried that having purchased a Porsche 911 that wasn’t 4WD that my winter driving would be a disaster. The Porsche guys assured me “its all about the tires” so I purchased these and gave it a whirl. WOW. It is, “all about the tires.” I had no issues whatsoever driving in light to moderate snow here in Chicago – in fact, I was so emboldened by their performance that I would take the car out in heavy snow just to see how it performed (I did eventually reach their limit, but that would have been with any care quite frankly). Its true that the car is low, so its much harder to drive in deep snow – but when do you really drive in deep, deep snow anyway? With untreated roads with 2-4 inches on them these tires made my Porsche perform better than even my former 4WD BMW X6. All my worries were for nothing after getting these tires. True, you have to shell out some good money for them – but its definitely worth it to make your sports car a year-round automobile.

If you are looking for a performance winter tire. This is it. I’ve used normal winter tires on a Honda Civic before and i hated the handling and the noise and the grip in the rain and dry wasn’t that great. With my performance package Mustang GT, I knew i wanted to maintain the sporty handling that the car had on the factory Pirelli P-Zero Maximum Performance Summer tire. I also wanted to maximize wet weather grip because we get a lot of rain in the winter here and only a couple of weeks of snow. The wet weather grip of these tires is simply unbelievable. I took a friend on a ride, who also has a mustang gt as well and even he was amazed by the wet weather grip of these tires from the passenger seat. I have taken these autocross racing in the rain twice and in the dry once. The lap times I was able to achieve in the rain, I have to attribute to the tires. Even on cold dry roads, these tires have good grip and maintain the sporty handling of the car. The only downside to these tires is that they don’t have the same grip in the ice and snow as the extreme winter tires like the Bridgestone Blizzak WS series or the Michelin X-Ice Xi3. However, the pilot alpins were confidence inspiring in the snow and ice and have better grip than all season tires, I even passed a snow plow that was clearing the highway. Drifting in the snow was a lot of fun with these tires as well.So if your primary considerations in a winter tire are wet and dry grip on cold days with good handling, with pretty good but not the best snow and ice grip. Then stop looking around and buy these tires.However, If you want a little more snow and ice grip while sacrificing some dry and wet grip and sporty handling, check out the blizzak ws series, michelin xi3 or Nokian Hakkapelitas

I’ve used Pilot Alpin snow tires for about 12-15 yrs. Have always felt safe and confident with them. This is the first PA4 tires and they were probably better than the last PA3 (?) models. Had to drive in the mountains for about 180 miles in passes etc. Nothing stopped these, and easily could pass on inclines and they stayed planted even in deep new snow. Great on slush and even icy condition. Will definitely buy these again. They are even more quiet than my PSS, though many say those make a lot of noise. They handle great in the dry for a snow tire, though no where near the PSS summer tires.

Highly recommend this tire for dry, wet, snow and very cold weather. driving on snow feels secure and stable, on wet road same feeling as dry rod. noise absolutely silent. corners almost like my summer tires. rain? no problem at allif you have heavy car without all-wheel drive take this tire, you can’t go better.

I switched from summer The Michelin Pilot Sport 4S a few weeks ago. I liked them so much I decided to get these instead of the SottoZero 3 I used last summer. They were very good but noisy and very different than my summer tires. So far, the lowest west and str temperatures I drove in were low 40s, but I wanted to post an initial review for people considering these. The Mercedes-AMG S63 Coupe is powerful and on the heavy side. And it really like these tires which so far have been superior to the SottoZero 3 in both handling and noise level. The difference between these and my summer tires is far less noticeable. I will update the review wh n temps go below freezing and we get ice and snow, but so far I really like these and happy I put them on. More coming as it’s gets colder and harsher in WA.

I just bought this tires as winter packages. I only put on 500 miles, but it was amazing choice though last week winter storm in NY. It is great performance and quite on dry roads. Also It was good traction on snow+slush ice road condition. I was so impressed. Best winter tire ever.

These tires are like a miracle. They allowed me to drive my Cayman S as a daily all through the Oregon winter. From torrential downpours to random freak unforecasted blizzards, these got me home safely. Never have I been so impressed with a tire’s performance. They literally paid for themselves. I never once experienced hydroplaning, and I could put all of my car’s power down in 1st gear even in the rain, with lateral grip in corners to match. In the random blizzard I was unable to avoid (I wouldn’t deliberately drive this car through snow), I was one of the few people that wasn’t getting stuck thanks to this tire. My mid engine RWD sports car was able to power up snow covered hills past FWD cars on all seasons that were just spinning their tires, going nowhere — priceless.If you are one of the few people who bought their Porsche to enjoy year round, this is the tire for you during the winter in a wet climate. Worth every penny.

Reflecting back to the prior winter of 2018-2019 with these Michelin Pilot Alpine PA4 N-spec tires which replaced the Blizzaks LM32 that were on the 19 inch winter rims, I have to say I was disappointed in them. These tires are not anywhere as good as the PA4 regular spec tires I had on another car. These tires have a more shallower groove which results in terrible traction in light and deep snow as well as ice. I felt my A7 with the quattro fish tailing often on certain turns at low speed that was non-existent with the Blizzaks. Also I found these tires to plow into the slush rather than through it which resulted in the car being very unstable in deep snow and slush. The ABS would activate so easily with medium to heavy braking that was unacceptable for a performance winter tire and I found myself unable to stop at a comfortable distance and had to plan ahead like when I was on all seasons. So overall this tire is no better than the best all season tires I have had on my cars in the past. I was shocked and blame it on the design patterns of the N-spec tire that is not sufficient for winter tire regardless of what car it is on.. Back to the Blizzaks this coming fall!

Pilot Alpins are great tires. I needed 20″ because rear wheel steering mechanism requires it. These tires felt great and gave plenty of winter confidence last year. There are winter tires with more ability to plow through deep snow and ice, but they come with massive compromises. With the ground clearance of a Porsche, deep snow is sort of not going to work anyway. I’ve had Pirelli Sottozeros on a couple cars. I like them too, but the Michelin seems to have a little more direct road feel and didn’t make a lot of tread noise. I just ordered another set for another car. I think they’re my choice for winter on a good car.

I drive my Cayman year round and use winter tires from mid October to Tax Day. The only negative on this winter tire is the noise level. These are easily the noisiest winter tires I have used in quite some time. However, that is a small price to pay for grip levels that are excellent in poor conditions including deep snow, slush, heavy rain and shelf ice. The tires ride nicely with good absorption of impacts and they handle very well. They also balanced out extremely well. Sidewall design is appealing. I get a lot of surprised looks as to what I’m driving in the winter months, but proper tires transforms the car and my Cayman is very competent in winter conditions. Highly recommended.

I put these on my Panamera 2011 Turbo. As you know, the summer tires on these cars are worthless below 40 degrees. So when it gets cold these tires go on the car. They are fantastic. The car handles unbelievably well in the winter months with these tires. The work so well in cold, light snow, ice and slush. It’s so cool to see peoples faces when you are absolutely ripping around in the snow in a Panamera while they are spinning their wheels. If you live in cold climates then you must try these tires. To be fair, I had these mounted on a separate set of 19″ Porsche wheels so the ride is a little smoother than what you will get on the summer 20″ grippy hard performance wheel/tire sets. Honestly though, the roads seem to be worse in the winters around here so getting a thicker sidewall tire is a good idea for these cold months.The Panamera is such a cool car, with these tires it is a truly great winter car.The tires aren’t suited for any snow over an inch, so don’t go out in deep snow with these, but on the packed down snow and ice, these things rock!