Quote:
Originally Posted by aerohead
Out of respect for j-c-c's instincts, I located the original article from CAR and DRIVER, August, 1992, pages 95-96:
'How Tough Are the Compact Spares', by Don Schroeder.
Thirty-one years later, my brain managed to pretty-much destroy the original contents.
For the Corvette:
* The compact spare had 56% the width of the OEM tire it replaced.
* 0-60 took 1/10th second longer, 5.2-secs vs 5.1-secs with donut on rear ( front was not tested ), it's a RWD car.
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I'm sticking with my instincts.
I'll address the above easy to debunk claim, even though acceleration claims are not important IMO in assessing the merits of real-life use of narrow tires vs tires wider/larger tire contact patch for mileage increase.
If the Corvette noted here has a limited slip differential or similar, which is likely, and the tested wider single other tire had sufficient grip needed for the engine/driveline, the contact patch configuration of the narrower/donut tire tested would matter little, and if it had less rotational mass, it could account for improved tested acceleration numbers. That appears to be what the test indicates.
That oversight, intentional, or inept, on C&D part, if correctly quoted here, IMO puts all the reported numbers and conclusions, in question.