Here’s one of those things that only gearheads would probably notice, but like … how? How does a super-wide high-performance tire end up in the gutter like this? This isn’t a donut spare tire on a wheel from a Toyota Camry or a 1988 Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera. It’s certainly not a blown-out carcass from an 18-wheeler. No, this looks like something off the back of a Porsche 911 or something; this is a wide high-performance tire. How does this even happen?
I was leaving Portland International Airport after returning from—ironically—a trip for tire testing with eBay Motors. While waiting at the stop light, I saw this big meat of a tire just sitting in the gutter. Now, I fully realize this is Portland, so you know, weird is our default. Maybe this super-wide high-performance tire fell off the back of a tire truck? Maybe someone stole it and realized a 275/30R20 wouldn’t fit their Mitsubishi Mirage G4 so they dumped it at the stop light? Maybe someone set a trap for me, Andy Lilienthal, to write a blog post about it. Frankly, I’m at a loss for an explanation.
What do you think happened here? Leave your best guess in the comments.
I think that it was sitting on the roof of a new Lamborghini starata roof rack
Based on the tread, I’ll bet it’s owner drove off with a donut mounted, or worse— in the passenger seat of a AAA truck that smelled of a Whopper & Fries, swearing silently.