Mechanics-based simulation analysis of plus tire sizing for multi-platform vehicle dynamics and design optimization

Tire geometry directly influences vehicle handling, stability, and force transmission at the tire–road interface. This study presents a mechanics-based, simulation-driven framework for evaluating the effects of plus tire sizing, in which rim diameter and section width are increased while aspect ratio is reduced to maintain an approximately constant outer diameter. Four production vehicle platforms representing different drivetrain architectures were evaluated using IPG CarMaker on a digital reconstruction of the Circuit of the Americas. A Formula 1 vehicle was retained solely as a fixed high-performance benchmark and was not included in the plus-sizing comparison. Emergency braking, hairpin cornering, and high-speed sweeping-turn maneuvers were examined using longitudinal acceleration, lateral acceleration, yaw rate, roll angle, and side-slip angle. The results indicate that plus sizing increased peak lateral acceleration by approximately 4–8% and reduced roll angle by up to 6.8%, although the magnitude of improvement depended on vehicle architecture. Reduced sidewall compliance may also introduce ride-comfort and noise, vibration and harshness trade-offs, particularly in heavier vehicles. The proposed framework demonstrates that the dynamic effects of plus sizing should be interpreted as vehicle-dependent design trade-offs rather than universal performance gains. The findings provide comparative guidance for tire selection, suspension tuning, and early-stage chassis design, while dedicated physical testing remains necessary for experimental validation.