Whats the performance difference between low profile tyres and normal tyres?
A low profile tyre has a smaller sidewall. This makes the tyre stiffer, which has a number of effects. The first is that the tyre doesn’t flex so much as you apply steering angle, making the car react quicker to steering inputs (improved turn-in) The second is that the tyre flexes less during high-speed cornering, keeping the contact patch closer to its normal position. This makes the car’s handling more secure / predictable during high-speed cornering. Another is that the tyre is less flexible when encountering bumps, so the secondary ride (the car’s behaviour over high-frequency, low amplitude surface irregularities) is less smooth. Also, the distance between tread and rim is reduced, meaning the wheel is more vulnerable to damage from impacts with kerbs, potholes or debris on the road. The “standard” profile for tyres is 82. Therefore the 70-profile tyres fitted to even the lowliest shopping car today are technically low-profile. Apart from SUVs and commercial vehicles, standard pro
