Groupe Michelin promoted its Pilot Super Sport in 2010, even before it was available in the aftermarket.
The tire already has been approved by Ferrari SpA as original equipment for the 458 Italia and 599 GTO. It also is OE on the BMW Alpina B5.
Michelin North America Inc. says the tire is ready for independent tire dealers in the United States. And the company is backing it with a 30,000-mile limited tread wear warranty.
"The ability to couple safety in extreme conditions with driving pleasure and excellent mileage is the result of a research and development commitment unrivaled in the tire industry," says Kip Newton, technical category manager for ultra-high performance products for Michelin North America. "Sales of ultra high-performance vehicles are on the rise and are expected to increase more than 25% worldwide over the next five years."
Michelin says its engineers focused on improving performance in several different areas, including endurance, safety and handling. To ensure that its latest-generation tire met the highest standards of safety, Michelin applied the same safety margins as those used in the civil-aviation industry.
The Michelin Pilot Super Sport features three technologies, including two developed for tires at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. One is the Ceinture Twaron fiber belt (see "Aramid fiber enhances Michelin Pilot Super Sport").
The other two, the Bi-Compound Tread and the Variable Contact Patch 2.0, were derived from innovations proven in endurance racing.
(Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations LLC also launched a UHP summer tire recently. For information on the Potenza S-04 Pole Position, click here.)
