Michelin has developed a special version of its MICHELIN Pilot Sport Cup 2 ultra-high performance tire for the new Audi R8. This tire will be an optional fitment that can be specified by customers, and can be identified by the RO1 marking on its sidewall.
The requirements of Audi were a technological challenge as their engineers sought to combine high levels of dry grip, to give outstanding lap times on the track, without any compromise in safety on wet roads. Michelin rose to the challenge by developing the MICHELIN Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires that combine the following performance characteristics:
- Extremly high levels of grip on dry
- Very precise steering response
- A good balance between front and rear grip, especially during cornering
- Sporty, agile handling which is characterized by a quick reaction time between driver inputs and the car's response
To obtain these results, Michelin’s tire designers and engineers embarked on a short but extremely focused development program:
- Only 15 months between receiving the initial specifications of the tire and the production of the finished version
- 770 prototype tires tested
- 4 development cycles, including industrialization, were undertakenEndurance, wet grip and dry lap time tests were conducted at the Nürburgring and Jerez race tracks, the MICHELIN Technology Center in Ladoux, France and the Idiada proving ground in Spain.
The new MICHELIN Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires feature tread designs that combine multiple rubber compounds developed in motorsport series such as the World Endurance Championship. There are two different compounds used in the front tyre and three in the rear which ensure the high levels of safety, grip, handling and durability that were specified by Audi.
Overall, the new MICHELIN Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires increase driving pleasure and allow drivers of the new Audi R8 to experience the feeling of a racing driver with maximum safety.
Tire sizes:
Front - 245/30ZR20 - MICHELIN PILOT SPORT CUP 2
Rear - 305/30ZR20 - MICHELIN PILOT SPORT CUP 2