Originally Posted by
Parkway Ford Lincoln SVT
Your factory width wheels are going to limit the choices you have for the type of rubber you're considering. Ideally you would get something from the "extreme performance" category which are the 180 to 200 treadwear rating street tires that are also trackable. But in 18" sizes that are tall enough for an S197, most are 275 width or larger which will require at least 9" wide wheels, 9.5 or 10" being even better. One exception is the Bridgestone RE-71R being available in 265/45R18 which could be squeezed on to your 8.5" wheels, but that's still a compromise.