Michelin Serves up Two New Offerings

Last week, Michelin North America invited select media to Laurens Proving Grounds, its testing facility, in Laurens County, South Carolina, for the launch of its two new tyres, the Pilot Sport All-Season Plus and the Pilot Sport PS2 ZP. The tyres were put to the test in exercises in wet braking, wet handling, dry handling and comfort against competitors’ tyres.

The Pilot Sport A/S Plus, though not visibly different from the original Pilot Sport, contains technology that allows for improvements in all-weather performance, wet grip and tread-life, according to Michelin.

The tyre features three specialized rubber compaounds across the tread, helping to elevate a car’s performance in virtually every type of weather, from wet to dry to winter conditions. Directional tread pattern and wet-weather silica compound combine for extreme wet-weather control. The tapered grooves of symmetrical tread design channel water away from the tyre’s contact patch to provide excellent wet grip in wet conditions, the company said.

The Pilot Sport A/S Plus tyres are the first UHP tyres to be backed by a 45,000-mile manufacturer’s limited warranty, Michelin Said.

The Pilot Sport A/S Plus tyre goes on sale in the US September 1. It will be available in 59 sizes, 25 per cent more sizes than the previous generation. At launch, the tyre will be available in 29 sizes and the remainder will be introduced in March 2009. Complete sizing options will range from 205/55ZR16 up to 265/30ZR22.

Michelin’s other new offering, the Pilot Sport PS2 ZP, is now available for the Corvette C5, C6Z06 as a plus-one fitment and additional sizes for the C6 model in October.

A UHP summer tyre, the Pilot Sport PS2 ZP evolves from the Michelin Pilot Sport PS2 family of low-profile, Z-rated tyres. The tyre offers all the impressive performance characteristics of Michelin Pilot Sport PS2 tyres, plus run-flat capability. It also delivers comfort levels similar to those of standard Pilot Sport PS2 tyres, while delivering improved cornering control, thanks to an advanced sidewall and variable contact patch technology, the tyremaker said.

The tyre features a unique, asymmetric tread pattern and a highly-customized tread compound, to delivers wet and dry performance for crisp cornering and high-speed capability. The asymmetric tread design presents large outer shoulder blocks and continuous intermediate and center ribs to enhance steering response and cornering stability. The inner lining tread design features a higher groove to rubber ratio with wide circumferential grooves and lateral notches that help channel water through the footprint to enhance wet road traction, Michelin said.

Available on August 1, replacement tyre sizes for the Corvette C5 include: 245/45ZR17 95Y and 275/40ZR18 99Y. Replacement tyre sizes (as a plus-one fitment) for the Corvette C6Z06 include: P285/35ZR19 (87Y) and P335/30ZR20 (94Y).

Available in October, replacement tyre sizes for the Corvette C6 will include: 245/40ZR18 93Y, 285/35ZR19 99Y.