Porsche Carrera GT Gets New Tires After 20 Years: Faster, Safer, but Is the Safety Scandal Over?

Over the years, many supercars have come and gone, but only a select few attain the status of true icons in the industry. The Porsche Carrera GT is most certainly one of them. Its significance to the brand is so immense that, more than two decades after its debut, Porsche has developed a new set of dedicated tires for it, to allay some of the trepidation associated with driving it and, perhaps, to shed its notorious nickname of being “the most dangerous car on the market.”

Looking back, the success of the Porsche Carrera GT far exceeded the German carmaker’s expectations, so much so that even their subsequent and only other hypercar, the 918 Spyder, did not have as profound an impact. However, the Carrera GT, with its 6-speed manual gearbox, was involved in numerous accidents, the most famous of which tragically took the life of actor Paul Walker.

After 20 Years, Porsche Carrera GT Gets New Tires for Improved Performance and Safety: Will This Close the Book on Its Controversial History?

It’s quite unusual to hear about new tires being made available for a car that was produced two decades ago, but that’s precisely what’s happening. Come next month, Porsche will begin notifying owners of the Carrera GT about a fix for a suspension issue that prompted a recall 18 months ago. But that’s not all; they’re also offering a special treat in the form of new tires.

In a letter to owners, Porsche not only announced the suspension fix but also revealed that all Carrera GTs would be fitted with new Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires, free of charge. And these aren’t just your average performance tires; Porsche confirmed they’re specially made to complement the unique characteristics of this mid-engine supercar.

The latest iteration of the Michelin tires features two distinct rubber compounds on the tread, designed to maximize traction in both wet and dry conditions, ensuring optimal performance regardless of the weather.

Porsche claims the new tires enable the Carrera GT to achieve faster lap times while making it easier to drive with “fervent enthusiasm.” Braking distances have also improved, shortening by 2.4 meters when decelerating from 100 km/h and requiring 11.9 meters less road to come to a stop from 200 km/h.

“The Carrera GT is the absolute dream car,” said Joerg Bergmeister, Porsche development driver. “That’s why I’m particularly excited that the new tires take the performance of this legend to a whole new level. It’s unusual for new tires to be developed for a car that’s 20 years old. This underscores the importance of the Carrera GT for Porsche and its customers to this day.”