Two new Michelin Pilot Sport tires will be available to tire dealers by the end of October.
The Michelin Pilot Sport A/S Plus tire goes on sale in the United States Sept. 1, 2008. It eventually will be available in 59 sizes ranging from 205/55ZR16 through 265/30ZR22. That's 25% more sizes than the previous generation.
"The improvements made on the new Pilot Sport A/S Plus tire allows for greater performance in dry and wet conditions, while still maintaining its capabilities in snow," says Nicolas Goubert, brand category manager for Michelin North America Inc.
The Pilot Sport PS2 ZP (Zero Pressure) will be available in the replacement market on Aug. 1, 2008, in the following sizes:
* 245/45ZR17 95Y, and
* 275/40ZR18 99Y.
It also is available in a Plus-One replacement fitment on the Corvette C6Z06.
Michelin Pilot Sport A/S Plus
Michelin engineers identified three key focus areas to ensure that the new Pilot Sport A/S Plus was superior to its predecessor, the Pilot Sport A/S: all-weather performance, wet grip and tread life.
For all-weather performance, Michelin engineered the ultra-high performance tire with a TriFusion compound, the only UHP tire in the Michelin line-up that features this technology. The TriFusion technology precisely places three specialized rubber compounds across the tread, helping elevate a car's performance in virtually every type of weather.
A state-of-the-art directional tread pattern and wet weather silica compound combine to give the tire wet improved wet grip. Tapered grooves help channel water away from the tire's contact patch.
The Pilot Sport A/S Plus features enhanced MaxTouch Construction technology, a tire design innovation that improves tread life without sacrificing performance. Michelin is backing the tire with a 45,000-mile limited tread wear warranty.
The Michelin Pilot Sport A/S Plus is especially designed for vehicles such as the Corvette C5, Cadillac CTS, BMW S3, Lexus IS330, Mercedes C class and other high performance vehicles.
The tire will be available in 29 sizes when it is launched. The remainder of the sizes will be introduced in March 2009.
Pilot Sport PS2 ZP
A UHP summer tire, the new Pilot Sport PS2 ZP evolved from the Michelin Pilot Sport PS2 family of low-profile, Z-rated tires. The tire has all the performance characteristics of the Michelin Pilot Sport PS2, plus run-flat capability.
It also delivers improved cornering control on wet and dry roads, thanks to an advanced sidewall and variable contact patch technology. At the same time, the tire's comfort levels are similar to those of standard Pilot Sport PS2 tires.
Featuring a unique asymmetric tread pattern and a highly-customized tread compound, the Pilot Sport PS2 ZP tire has tread life similar to the standard Michelin Pilot Sport PS2.
It will be available in the following Plus-One replacement sizes for the Corvette C6Z06 on Aug. 1, 2008:
* P285/35ZR19 (87Y), and
* P335/30ZR20 (94Y).
In October, the Pilot Sport PS2 ZP will be available in two additional replacement sizes for the Corvette C6 -- 245/40ZR18 93Y and 285/35ZR19 99Y.
