At the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Michelin introduced its newest ultra-high performance tire—the Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S. This new tire is the successor to the ultra-high performance benchmark tire, the Michelin Pilot Super Sport, which can be found on every BMW M car.

    “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, Michelin's DOT approved track tire. 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
    • First in wet braking
    • First in dry lap times

    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.

    Michelin has been a big supporter of the BMW CCA over the last few years and is currently the title sponsor for our annual Oktoberfest, Legends of the Autobahn, and the Festorics Corral at the Monterey Motorsport Reunion at Laguna Seca. Being a fan favorite amongst our members, we are excited to be a part of the first people to test out this tire at the Michelin Pilot Experience at the BMW Performance Center at the Thermal Club.