The Pilot Super Sport is Michelin's Max Performance Summer tire initially introduced as Original Equipment on several of the world's most sophisticated performance vehicles, including the exclusive, limited-edition Ferrari 599 GTO, Ferrari's fastest road car ever. Developed for drivers who care about how tire technology enhances their vehicle's performance and safety, Pilot Super Sport tires expand the Max Performance Summer tire performance envelope by delivering durability, handling and traction while increasing tread life.
Building on the development of racing tires designed to carry Prototype and GT class cars to endurance race victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, 12 Hours of Sebring and Road Atlanta's Petit Lemans, Pilot Super Sport tires are designed to deliver consistent performance and longevity by blending Max Performance driving characteristics with extended tread wear.
While the importance of tire treadwear in endurance racing may not be immediately apparent, Michelin tires set records during the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2010. One of the 2010 LMP Class leaders completed 46 consecutive laps on one set of tires with an average pace just 1% off of the pole position qualifying time. That's almost 400 racing miles on one set of tires at an average speed of 150 mph.
Additionally the overall winner used just 11 sets of tires to cover a record 3,362 miles, averaging nearly 140 mph and almost 300 racing miles per set of tires. That represented almost a 25% wear improvement compared to just one year earlier where the overall winner needed 14 sets of tires to cover 3,235 miles. By developing longer wearing racing tires without sacrificing performance, Michelin tires allowed the teams to run record race paces while converting some of the time previously spent changing tires in the pits into productive time covering more miles on the track.
While Pilot Super Sport tires are designed to allow sports cars, sporty coupes, performance sedans and supercars to achieve their full potential in dry and wet conditions, like all summer tires they are not intended to be driven in near-freezing temperatures, through snow or on ice.
The Pilot Super Sport features an asymmetric design molded of Michelin's Bi-Compound tread rubber featuring a Le Mans-inspired dry compound outboard side-by-side with their latest generation of wet compound inboard. The low-void outboard shoulder features a track-type compound to withstand the stresses of high performance cornering while the notched center ribs and inboard shoulder feature a compound designed for superior performance at very high speeds and in wet conditions.
The tire's internal structure features twin steel belts reinforced by spirally wound Twaron cord. Twaron is a polyamide cord that offers a lightweight, high-strength reinforcement above the steel belts to enhance high-speed handling, wear and durability. Michelin FAZ Technology (Filament At Zero degrees) winds the Twaron cord around the tire circumference much the same way fishing line is wound onto fishing reels to allow Michelin engineers to tune tension and strength. The Pilot Super Sport features a polyester casing to promote a comfortable ride and responsive handling.
Pilot Super Sport tires are comparatively light, with weight savings of up to 10% compared to other tires of similar dimensions. This reduces unsprung weight to improve handling.
Limited sizes of the Michelin Pilot Super Sport are available with Michelin Acoustic Technology, which involves the manufacturer adhering a layer of sound-absorbing foam to the inner liner of the tire to reduce cabin noise in the vehicle. These sizes are identified on the Specs page and in the search results
Related Information: Noise Reducing Tire Technology
Michelin's Pilot Super Sport has been at the top of the Max Performance Summer category since its debut in 2011. It's the benchmark by which all other tires in the category are judged.
Enter new contenders from Goodyear, Kumho and Pirelli. Is one from this trio primed to ascend to the top and end Michelin's reign on the throne? Our Real World Road Ride and Performance Track Drive will tell the story.
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(1,726)Tire Category: Max Performance Summer
| Best in Category |
| Miles Reported |
| Recommended |
| Treadwear |
Michelin Pilot Super Sport
|
|---|
| 99% |
| 12M |
| 8.8 - Excellent |
| 8.9 - Excellent |
|
|
| 9.5 - Excellent |
|
|
| N/A |
|
|
| 8.7 - Excellent |
|
|
| 8.0 - Good |
Feedback patterns show the Michelin Defender LTX M/S excels in treadwear, with many ratings in the 9-10 range highlighting long-lasting performance. Comfort receives strong praise for a smooth, quiet ride, supported by consistent 8-10 scores for reduced noise and vibration. Winter traction earns positive marks in snow and slush, though ice traction shows occasional 7-8 scores, reflecting typical all-season limitations. Wet traction stands out with near-perfect hydroplaning resistance and grip, scoring 9-10 across most ratings. Dry traction delivers confident handling and stability, with nearly universal 9-10 scores for responsive steering and cornering. Drivers report high satisfaction across all categories, aligning well with its highway-focused all-season design.
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With a new chassis and engine, the 2016 Cadillac CTS-V is a supercharged Black Beauty. Motor Trend Head2Head's Randy Pobst gets to know this car and its big Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires on the Big Willow track at Willow Springs International Raceway.
Tire Rack's Matt Edmonds went to Willow Springs International Raceway for a Hot Lap with Motor Trend Head2Head's Randy Pobst in the BMW M2. Pobst described the M2 as his favorite BMW right now, like "a German muscle car." And its Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires don't disappoint on the track.
Michelin's Pilot Super Sport has been at the top of the Max Performance Summer category since its debut in 2011. It's the benchmark by which all other tires in the category are judged.
Enter new contenders from Goodyear, Kumho and Pirelli. Is one from this trio primed to ascend to the top and end Michelin's reign on the throne? Our Real World Road Ride and Performance Track Drive will tell the story.
Read the Full Test Report
The "fastest road in the West" is where we'll test the 2016 BMW X6 M with Motor Trend Head 2 Head's Randy Pobst. It's big. And it's ready with its M performance and Michelin Super Sport tires. Will this combo be the hot ticket on this 90-degree day at Willow Springs?
Cadillac's 3rd generation CTS-V with staggered Michelin Pilot Super Sports- most often used on performance vehicles- is put to the test at Big Willow.
It's powerful and a thrill down the straightaways. And the CTS-V design complements the handling and grip that these tires provide. Just maybe the Super Sports are at their best on this "monster" of a Cadillac.
You made them happy. Now keep them safe. Michelin tires. A better way forward. Share your #FirstCarMoment with us!
On the Streets of Willow, the brand new BMW M4 and a set of Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires took on the racetrack's tight, winding turns (in the hot sun). Motor Trend Head 2 Head's Randy Pobst knew it would be a big job with a car that fast and with that kind of torque/horsepower. Were the Michelins up to the job?
Motor Trend Head 2 Head's Randy Pobst and Tire Rack's Matt Edmonds were at the Streets of Willow with the brand new Lexus RC F. Randy knows how to get the most out of a vehicle on this racetrack and will push the RC F to use everything the Michelin Pilot Super Sport has to offer. Watch this Hot Lap video to see how it went.
Motor Trend's The Downshift, a team from Tire Rack, and a team from Motor Trend headed out to Willow Springs for some tire testing. Are performance tires better than factory tires? How much can they really make a difference? These questions and more are answered when Randy Pobst hits the track in a BMW 328i, Mustang V-6, and Subaru BRZ.
HOT ROD Magazine visited our test track to find out which 200-treadwear tire will give you the best performance on an autocross-prepped muscle car. They tested six handling-oriented, street-legal performance tires on a ridiculous four-door, big-block powered 1970 Plymouth Satellite that outran a BMW on our test track! They also name a winner in the tire test, which included the BFGoodrich G-Force Rival, Dunlop Direzza ZII, Hankook Ventus R-S3 z222, Michelin Pilot Super Sport, Falken Azenis RK615k and Nitto NT05. Watch the video above, and for even more tire tech, look for an upcoming article in HOT ROD Magazine.
Max Performance tires deliver an unsurpassed blend of dry/wet traction and handling for the street via high-tech materials and advanced manufacturing. They aren't hampered by the inherent compromises of an all-season tire. And unlike Extreme Performance tires, they have good road manners.
How do the newest compare to the top tires in the category?
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We always look forward to testing Max Performance Summer tires - the proverbial running shoes for cars. They're the pinnacle in tire technology, blending the latest in tread compounds and internal components with highly engineered designs.
To find out how they drive, we selected several of the best and two of the newest to compare.
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Recently, two titans in the tire world launched new Max Performance Summer tires: Bridgestone and their Potenza S-04 Pole Position and Michelin with the Pilot Super Sport. Both are long-awaited replacements for very capable and popular products from each brand.
How do they compare to the other heavy hitters in the category?
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Michelin gave us the opportunity to preview the long-awaited successor to its benchmark Pilot Sport PS2 - the Pilot Super Sport - and experience its dry and wet performance at the Dubai Autodrome in the United Arab Emirates. Built to FIA standards, this track would prove to be a great location for the Pilot Super Sport to stretch its legs.
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