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I am looking for a Michelin Pilot Super Sport R18 225/40R18 88Y and 245/35R18 92Y for my Mercedes-Benz W208, but this tyres marked on the website as "Designed for BMW". What does it mean? What are pros and cons of using this tyres on a non BMW?

I think I need exactly this tyres to get a good fit with R18 AMG Monoblock Aero II (8J ET31 front and 9J ET35 rear)

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    The cynic in me says that "Designed for BMW" just enables Michelin to charge over the odds.
    – Chenmunka
    Commented Mar 21, 2016 at 14:41
  • Some guy is complaining about using them on a different model: tyrereviews.co.uk/Tyre/Michelin/Pilot-Super-Sport.htm Maybe they really are designed for some models.
    – Alin P.
    Commented Mar 21, 2016 at 15:19

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Can you use them? Yes.

Should you use them? Depends on what you are looking for. Most of the times (not always) these special tires are just a modified version of a regular tire.

What makes them special? Here is a list of common modifications:

  • A softer compound. This typically increases grip at the expense of longevity.
  • A special size. Sometimes car manufacturers require a tire in a very specific size. This is common for more expensive cars.
  • A higher speed rating. This means that the tire will be rated for higher top speeds. Usually carries a list of modifications mostly known to the manufacturer themselves. These are special tires sold under the same brand for marketing purposes.
  • Special decoration. Yes, we are that vain. People sometimes just want a tire that elevates their status through branding. Ever wonder why Pirelli PZeros on Ferraris have that unique logo with pink/rose coloring?

Now the tires you mention:

Michelin Pilot Super Sport R18 225/40R18 88Y and 245/35R18 92Y

These are performance tires with a very low profile. You might want to look at similar tires and compare based purely on specifications (and price). Take into consideration the type of driving that you will be doing. Don't buy performance tires for a car you plan to daily drive in various conditions. Its a recipe for disaster (learn from my mistakes).

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  • Can you please write more details about why I should not buy this tyres for daily usage? This ones I mentioned seems to be the best performance tyres on the market for the daily driving and with the specific size I need.
    – x3qt
    Commented Mar 21, 2016 at 16:19
  • Sure. I dont know where you live, but Im from a place where it rains a lot. Performance tires are engineered for dry surfaces and it made my cars unstable even at lower speeds. I learned to use a higher grade all season tire for daily driving duties and then switch to performance tires if any fun was to be had (I kept a second pair of wheels for this purpose).
    – race fever
    Commented Mar 21, 2016 at 16:22
  • Now I got your point, thank you. But what about the main part of the question? As I understand the "Designed for BMW" label does not introduces any disadvantages for the other cars, is it true?
    – x3qt
    Commented Mar 21, 2016 at 16:29
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    @x3qt - For the most part that is correct*. What **race fever is talking about is the disadvantage to your pocketbook when other more nondescript tires are used which can provide you the same or better performance levels without having to pay for the premium price.`
    – Pᴀᴜʟsᴛᴇʀ2 ♦
    Commented Mar 21, 2016 at 17:33
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    Give the internet points to @Pᴀᴜʟsᴛᴇʀ2 for deciphering my gibberish. :-)
    – race fever
    Commented Mar 22, 2016 at 23:51

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