Why do all low profile tires have to be of high performance design?

[grampi]

Originally Posted by WRBlue

T rated winter tires exist in 45% sidewalls

Speed rating has nothing to do with the performance or life of the tire.

For example, continental makes a 205/45 - 17 that is V rated, but a base passenger all season tire, with a tread wear of 400. It is $70 less than a Pirelli V rated summer tire that has a tread wear of 180. They are also $20 more than a continental V rated performance all-season with a tread wear of 280. The base tire will last 1.4 times the perfromance all-season for 1.1 times the price, but less grip.

To answer the original question, all low profile tires are not high performance design. The Continental ContiProContact SSR is defiantly not high performance. Bridgestone and Pirelli also make winter tires in low profile and those are most definatly not high perform. Almost all cars that come from the factory with low profile tires do not come with high performance tires due to the liability created by the tires not accommodating water or snow. For my WRX, I can find 8 non-performance designed low profile tires. All are V or Z rated, but none are performance design.

I see. So what I need to be looking at is the treadwear rating, not the speed rating?