Sometimes the C240 was a bit harsh over broken pavement and roared over coarse road surface perhaps due to the Pirelli Dragon (Asia market only) tires and its hard and long-lasting compound. The tall side wall of the 195/65R15 did not help. Finally on the first day of July, I traded in the Pirelli for the Michelin XM1 205/60R15 (with softer compound but made in Thailand. Manufactured in 2006) for smoother ride and comfort. The shorter side wall and wider contact patch brought a tad more stability at speed and a better and decisive turn-in. The ride was now quieter overall and bump-thumps were muffled, but the slight rattling of the interior trims could be more heard and felt. Cornering limit was now slightly lower and the front tires would squeak under loading. To me it was a perfect trade-off. As the miles piling up, I found the performance edge of the XM1 satisfactory especially when driving briskly in thin traffic.The XM1 was a recommendation from a long-time friend who has placed comfort and good handling on his top of his list. As a matter of fact he has equipped both of his 7-seater vans (Toyota Previa and Alphard) with the XM1. He has been happy with the comfort and ride quality.
Here is what Michelin describes the Energy XM1:
Michelin Energy XM1 is proof that a tyre can have it all. Enjoy five star comfort plus the perfect balance of fuel efficiency, longer tyre life and smooth performance.
I would not disagree a bit, after merely a week of use. French does place comfort and ride quality on top of the list when they design their products, even at the entry level XM1.
In Hong Kong there are so many tires out there with different design emphasis, over 50% of them from Japan. Personally I have tried many, both on the street and on the race circuit. However I think the tyre companies have sold them based on merits on price and, tire noise the aggressive road grips. For me I would value comfort and ride quality first before grips and handling. I am sure there are similar tyres like XM1 out there.
I have no idea how a Michelin would work for Japanese cars. I have always been a firm believer that European tyres are designed for European cars and Japanese tires for Japanese cars. Of course there must be exception here and there. And I also hear that Korean tires are coming through quickly. It is very easy to explain if you notice how a tire is designed and fined tuned during the product development cycles. And how the tires work with the chassis and the suspension. I am just wondering how many German and Japanese cars (very expensive in Korea) have been brought to fine tune their tires performance. Personally I think the development has not been completed yet. A few more years later it will be difficult to say the same thing.
