Record Breaking Performance
Ruling the high performance roost at Michelin is the Pilot Sport PS2 and the Pilot Sport Cup +. The first of these is a tyre that, in April 2008, earned the distinction of being the tyre fitted to the world’s fastest production car – a Shelby SuperCars’ Ultimate Aero, fitted with the Michelin tyres, set a new record of 256.18 mph (412.28 km/h) during tests in the US. This accomplishment, the first occasion in which a US vehicle manufacturer has held the speed record since 1967, took place with little to no wear present on the Michelin tyre.
So this second generation Michelin tyre is obviously not one intended for plodding trips to the supermarket, then. Designed in close collaboration with prestige vehicle manufacturers in the sport and supersport segments, the Pilot Sport PS2 has been homologated for various models from, amongst others, Audi, BMW, Porsche and Mercedes. The Pilot Sport PS2 features a rigid asymmetric tread pattern – Michelin points out the similarities this format, with its four grooves around the tyre, shares with Formula 1 tyres. The pattern is one that ensures superior steering response, the manufacturer adds, and grip on wet and dry surfaces is improved by the presence of a dual compound plus the use of a Variable Contact Patch (VCP) System that maintains the optimum size and shape of the tyre’s contact patch whether driving in a straight line or under hard cornering.