DETROIT, Jan. 10, 2017 —Michelin introduced its newest ultra-high-performance tire – the MICHELIN Pilot® Sport 4 S – today at the North American International Auto Show. The product succeeds the MICHELIN® Pilot® Super Sport, which is widely recognized as the industry-leading ultra-high-performance tire for original equipment and replacement applications.
“When manufacturers design and build the greatest cars, they overwhelmingly choose Michelin and the Pilot tire line to connect them with the pavement and enable the very spirit of the machine,” said Jean-Dominique Senard, CEO of Michelin Group, in a press conference at NAIAS. “The Pilot Sport 4 S will be the next great tire in our Pilot family line-up, with more than 60 original equipment fitments currently under development.”
Designed for sports cars and high-performance vehicles, the tire combines the best aspects of the Pilot Super Sport with key attributes of the Pilot Sport Cup 2. The Pilot Sport 4 S solves the pleasure and safety equation for performance enthusiasts, offering unprecedented driving pleasure, exceptional steering precision and tremendous directional stability, while also providing maximum grip on wet or dry roads.
Commissioned third-party track tests in Germany against five top ultra-high-performance tire competitors ranked the Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S first on the performances:
- first in dry braking[1]
- first in wet braking[2]
- first in dry lap times[3]
Michelin is involved in motorsport disciplines worldwide and uses competition as a laboratory for accelerated development of tire technologies, which are then used in the development of its production tires. Data collected during racing, mostly from confidential tire technologies or rubber compound recipes, enable Michelin’s engineers to validate their findings. The Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S uses construction methods and materials directly developed in competitions such as the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) and its flagship event the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Formula E and the World Rally Championship(WRC).
The Pilot Sport 4 S bears a (Y) speed rating (186+ mph) and offers a 30,000-mile warranty. The tire is commercially available in Europe starting this month, and available in the United States starting in March for a suggested retail price of $233. The product line initially includes 35 sizes, in widths ranging from 225mm to 345mm, aspect ratios from 30 to 45, and rim diameters from 18 to 20 inches.
The tire’s aesthetic design complements the vehicles it fits, featuring Michelin’s patented velvet sidewall branding, called Premium Touch Design, and a rim protector that will help avoid contact between the wheel rim and curb. The Pilot® Sport 4 S will be produced at Michelin plants in Greenville, S.C., and Clermont-Ferrand, France.
About Michelin
Dedicated to the improvement of sustainable mobility, Michelin designs, manufactures and sells tires for every type of vehicle, including airplanes, automobiles, bicycles, earthmovers, farm equipment, heavy-duty trucks and motorcycles. The company has earned a long-standing reputation for building innovative premium tires. Since 1989, Michelin has received 80 J.D. Power tire customer satisfaction awards — five times the number of all other tire manufacturers combined. In addition to tires, the company also publishes travel guides, hotel and restaurant guides, maps and road atlases. Headquartered in Greenville, S.C., Michelin North America (www.michelinman.com) employs about 22,700 and operates 19 major manufacturing plants
[1] Based on commissioned third-party dry braking tests conducted by TÜV SÜD in Papenburg and Memmingen, Germany from 62 mph to 0 mph comparing the MICHELIN® PILOT® Sport 4 S (110.4 ft. avg. stopping distance) versus the Bridgestone® Potenza™ S-04 Pole Position™ (115.3 ft. avg. stopping distance), Continental® ExtremeContact™ DW (117.4 avg. stopping distance), Pirelli® P ZERO™ (116.5 ft. avg. stopping distance), and Goodyear® Eagle® F1 Asymmetric 3(115.3 ft. avg. stopping distance) in tire size 255/35ZR19 96Y using a 2016 AUDI S5 Coupe 3.0 TFSI 333 hp. Actual on-road results may vary.
[2] Based on commissioned third-party wet braking tests conducted by TÜV SÜD in Papenburg and Memmingen, Germany from 50 mph to 0 mph comparing the MICHELIN® PILOT® Sport 4 S (90.9 ft. avg. stopping distance) versus the Bridgestone® Potenza™ S-04 Pole Position™ (98.2 ft. avg. stopping distance), Continental® ExtremeContact™ DW (98.4 ft. avg. stopping distance), Pirelli® P ZERO™ (97.0 ft. avg. stopping distance), and Goodyear® Eagle® F1 Asymmetric 3 (91.3 ft. avg. stopping distance) in tire size 255/35ZR19 96Y using a 2016 AUDI A5 Sportback 2.0 TDI 177 hp. Actual on-road results may vary.
[3] Based on commissioned 3rd party 1.6 mile circuit lap time tests conducted by TÜV SÜD in Papenburg and Memmingen,, Germany comparing the MICHELIN® PILOT® Sport 4 S (80.33 sec. avg. lap time) versus the Bridgestone® Potenza™ S-04 Pole Position™ (82.05 sec. avg. lap time), Continental® ExtremeContact™ DW (81.72 sec. avg. lap time), Pirelli® P ZERO™ (81.55 sec. avg. lap time), and Goodyear® Eagle® F1 Asymmetric 3 (81.22sec. avg. lap time) in tire size 255/35ZR19 96Y using a 2016 AUDI S5 Coupe 3.0 TFSI 333 hp. Actual on-road results may vary.