Michelin announces new generation of summer car tyres

Michelin Primacy 4+ (Photo: © Michelin 2021 – Florent Giffard)

Pilot Sport 5, Primacy 4+ are designed to deliver high performance throughout their life

Michelin has announced the launch of its fifth generation Pilot Sport and the upgraded Primacy 4+. The new summer tyres represent the manufacturer’s newest solutions for the ultra-high performance and touring segments, following up multi-award winning predecessors. Both tyres are designed to deliver on Michelin’s efforts to decrease the environmental impact of its tyres by increasing the longevity of the tyres’ key safety performance characteristics.

(Photo: © MICHELIN 2021 – Florent Giffard)

Michelin Pilot Sport 5

Michelin said the Pilot Sport 5, intended for sports car and high-performance sedan enthusiasts, will offer class-leading longevity within the UHP bracket. Michelin says that testing conducted by Dekra Test Center in summer 2021 backs this claim, having compared its performance to that offered by four UHP tyres from leading competitors.

The manufacturer adds that the tyre offers precision and responsiveness in cornering thanks to its motorsport-proven Dynamic Response technology. A hybrid Aramid and Nylon ply forms a belt around the complete tyre structure to optimise handling control and increase driving pleasure. Michelin also proved the tyre’s grip and braking performance on dry and wet road surfaces against leading competitors in Dekra testing. The Dual Sport Tread Design technology allows for tread optimisation, with more performance in the wet thanks to the inner part of the tread and in the dry thanks to its outer tread blocks.

The Pilot Sport 5 also features an enhanced sidewall design, with a deep “black velvet” appearance – this helped Michelin win the 2021 Contemporary Good Design Award Red Dot Award.

The successor to the Pilot Sport 4, a multiple award-winner itself, is available in Europe in 50 dimensions from 17 to 21 inches, as of 1 January. It will be available worldwide as of 1 March.

Michelin Primacy 4+ (Photo: © Michelin 2021 – Florent Giffard)

Michelin Primacy 4+

Michelin Primacy 4+ (Photo: © Michelin 2021 – Florent Giffard)

The new Michelin Primacy 4+ summer tyre will offer a size range suitable for everything between family cars and SUVs for everyday journeys and long family trips. The tyre’s most notable performance features include improved braking performance in the wet when worn, increasing safety throughout the life of the tyres. Michelin proved the tyre’s performance in testing by TÜV SÜD in June 2021, testing the performance of the tyre against three leading premium brand competitor products in size 205/55 R16 91V, fitted to a VW Golf 8. The tyre was tested when new and after being machine-buffed to the depth of the European Tread Wear Indicator.

Michelin said the Primacy 4+’s leading performance in this testing was achieved via its EverGrip technology. This combines two layers of rubber to offset the loss of tread depth and thus continue to remove water from the tread when worn.

Michelin says the design of the Primacy 4+ was led by the characteristic of increase safety “from the first mile to the last” as well as delivering a long service life. It became available as of 1 January, and will be offered in 82 dimensions from 16-19 inches by March. By the end of 2022, Michelin will extend the range to 121 dimensions, with further sizes increasing the top end of the range to 21 inches, by the end of 2022.