Mercedes-AMG A45 S: Pirelli tyre option slashes lap times

Owners of the Mercedes-AMG A45 S and Mercedes-AMG CLA45 S have the opportunity to shave seconds off their lap times with a new manufacturer-approved tyre package.

Mercedes-AMG has certified the Pirelli P-Zero Trofeo R semi-slick tyre as an M01 specification tyre that matches the dimensions, load and speed ratings of the current Michelin Pilot Sport 4S factory-fitted tyre.

The benefit of switching from the original tyre to a semi-slick like the P-Zero Trofeo R is more tread on the road (a semi-slick tyre has fewer channels for water evacuation) and a stickier compound that deals better with heat and high tyre loads.

What this means is improved lap times. Chief driving instructor for Mercedes-Benz Australia, Peter Hackett, set laps at the Phillip Island Grand Prix circuit on the Pirelli P-Zero Trofeo R and Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tyres and, in an A45 S hatch, found a time difference of just over three seconds.

The laps were set within 30 minutes of each other, in near-identical conditions.

Customers can order tyres through their Mercedes-Benz dealership or alternatively through a tyre retailer. The price varies depending on where you go, but the cost is around $650 per tyre.

When you think about it, it’s a sensible investment given how much wear you’re likely to impart on your road tyres at a track day. Having another set of track-only treads means less headaches when it comes to driving on the road.

It’s worth keeping in mind, as I discovered a few years back when testing the HSV GTS R W1 with P-Zero Trofeo R tyres, the Pirelli semi-slick is almost useless in the wet.

We had the chance to track test the A45 S at Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit with the new P-Zero Trofeo R tyre, so keep an eye out for that review shortly.

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