k1xv
Veteran Member
- Joined
- Apr 4, 2009
- Location
- southern Vermont
- TDI
- 09 TDI sedan, sold back 12/16. Present cars 2013 BMW X5 diesel, 2015 Corvette convertible
The speed rating on original equipment tires is commensurate with the maximum speed (usually electronically governed) that the car is capable of. As S rated tires are rated for 112 mph, and H rated for 130 mph, a car with a top speed in between will be equipped with H rated tires.On another note, I thought H rated tires were pretty much "required" on our cars?
Back in the late 1990s, GM Oldsmobile Aurora cars had a standard model, and an "Autobahn" option. With the standard option, the car was governed to 109 mph and it had S rated tires. The Autobahn option raised that to about 137 mph, and it got V rated (149 mph) tires.
Generally, all other things being equal, the higher the speed rating, the better the handling, but the lower the tread life.