If you own a performance vehicle, there’s a conversation you need to have with yourself long before tread depth becomes an issue: how old are your tires? Most drivers assume a tire is fine as long as it has rubber left, but that thinking can get you into serious trouble. Vehicle manufacturers generally recommend replacing tires at the six-year mark regardless of remaining tread, and most tire manufacturers, including Michelin itself, set a hard ceiling of ten years from the manufacture date. The reason isn’t just wear — it’s chemistry. As rubber ages, oxidation causes the compounds to dry out and harden, leading to micro-cracking inside and outside the tire that you often can’t see until it’s too late. On a car like the 2017 Ford Mustang Shelby GT350, which generates serious lateral forces and demands total confidence from its tires, running aged rubber isn’t a cost-saving move. It’s a gamble. When our OEM Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires aged out on our Shelby, we didn’t hesitate, and thankfully Michelin stepped up with a fresh set of Pilot Sport 4S tires to keep our GT350 properly shod.
The difference between the Michelin Pilot Sport 4S and the outgoing Pilot Super Sport it replaced was immediately apparent. We went with a wider fitment this time around — 305/30/19 up front and 325/30/19 out back — and yet the Shelby feels more planted and composed on the road than it ever did on the narrower OEM rubber. That’s a testament to how significantly Michelin advanced the PS4S over its predecessor. The tramlining that plagued the Super Sport, that constant, fatiguing urge to follow every groove and ridge in the pavement, is virtually gone with the PS4S. The tire tracks straight and true without the steering fighting you down an imperfect highway, which on a car this responsive makes a notable difference in both comfort and driver confidence. We should note that after wearing through our first set of PS4S tires following the OEM replacement, we did observe some mild tramlining starting to develop as those tires accumulated miles — but even then, it was nowhere close to the level we experienced with the original Pilot Super Sports. The PS4S is simply a more refined and capable tire at every stage of its life.
The performance credentials of the Pilot Sport 4S are well established at this point, and our real-world experience on the GT350 confirms what the tire’s reputation promises. Dry grip is exceptional — the kind of grip that makes a 526-horsepower naturally aspirated flat-plane V8 feel thoroughly manageable rather than nervous. Turn-in is crisp and communicative, and the tire holds its composure deep into corners where lesser rubber starts to push or squirm. Wet performance is equally reassuring, with strong resistance to hydroplaning and a planted feel on damp pavement that never goes vague. For a tire that spends the majority of its life on public roads rather than a track, the PS4S strikes a balance that is genuinely hard to beat — performance when you want it, manners when you need it, and a quality of construction that holds up with daily use. These are not just great performance tires. They are great tires, full stop.
It would be incomplete to talk about the transformation of our Shelby’s handling without also crediting the forged aftermarket wheels underneath the PS4S tires. Swapping to a set of lightweight forged wheels dramatically reduced unsprung mass, the weight that moves with the suspension rather than being supported by it. Less unsprung mass means the suspension can react faster to road inputs, improving ride quality, cornering response, and overall control. Our forged wheels come in only a few pounds off the Shelby GT350R’s exotic carbon fiber wheels, which puts the combination in rare company on the handling front. Paired with the Michelin Pilot Sport 4S, the result is a street setup that feels cohesive, responsive, and genuinely special. If you’re building out a performance Mustang, a Corvette, a Porsche, or any serious rear-wheel-drive machine for street use, the PS4S deserves to be at the top of your tire shortlist. We’ve run them through two full sets now, and the recommendation gets stronger each time.
Malcolm Hogan is the founder and editor of Automotive Addicts, a trusted voice in the automotive media world for over two decades. With 20+ years of hands-on experience covering the industry, Malcolm has built a reputation for delivering honest reviews, sharp insights, and in-depth coverage of everything from new car debuts to high-performance test drives. Passionate about the evolving car culture and staying ahead of the curve, Malcolm continues to lead Automotive Addicts as a go-to destination for enthusiasts and industry insiders alike.
