The Pilot Sport Cup 2 is Michelin's Streetable Track & Competition tire originally developed for Original Equipment use on the Ferrari 458 Speciale, Mercedes SLS AMG Coupe Black Series and Porsche 918 Spyder hybrid super sports car. Designed to provide faster circuit times and consistent performance lap after lap, the Pilot Sport Cup 2 allows these supercars to achieve their full potential in dry conditions.
WARNING: Pilot Sport Cup 2 radials meet DOT requirements; however, they are not recommended for driving in wet conditions where standing water is present and there is the risk of hydroplaning; drivers should drive cautiously at reduced speeds if they encounter these conditions. This is especially true of shaved or worn tires. And like other Streetable Track & Competition tires, these tires are not intended to be stored, serviced nor driven in near- or below freezing temperatures, through snow or on ice.
The Pilot Sport Cup 2's tread molds Michelin's Bi-Compound technology into an asymmetric design. Bi-Compound technology features different rubber compounds on the tread's outboard and inboard regions. Massive outboard shoulders feature a tread rubber whose hardness has been specially designed to deliver maximum adherence and outstanding dry grip on curves, especially on tight corners. Notched center ribs and an inboard shoulder use tread rubber featuring a more rigid elastomer to ensure precision steering.
Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires feature Michelin Variable Contact Patch 3.0, an innovation evolved from the Variable Contact Patch 2.0 technology integrated into Pilot Super Sport and Pilot Sport A/S 3 tires. Variable Contact Patch 3.0 maximizes the contact patch size and optimizes its footprint pressure so that more rubber remains in contact with the track when cornering, thereby ensuring superior grip in curves and tight corners.
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 durability, handling and wear. 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 Twaron is applied with variable tension between the shoulders and the center of the tire, and is tightened so firmly that it literally locks the tire structure into a practically inelastic belt. As a result, the tire's footprint remains constant and centrifugal force is effectively controlled, even at very high speeds.
Michelin Pilot® Sport Cup 2 features a polyester casing that combines ride comfort with responsive handling. Its bead region is 10% wider than that of traditional sports tires and is strengthened with a high modulus rubber compound that increases the tire's lateral stiffness and delivers sporty responsiveness, as well as precision steering.
A special mold tooling process has led to the development of Michelin Premium Touch Technology, a process that has made it possible to create more contrast on sections of the outer sidewall using micro-geometry techniques that absorb light. The geometry of the texture permits variable contrast to create shades of black that have the feel of velvet.
NOTE: Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires cannot be mixed with Pilot Sport Cup, Pilot Sport Cup + (Plus), Pilot Sport Cup N-Spec or Pilot Sport Cup ZP run-flat tires.
Related Information: Competition Tire Heat Cycling Service | Shaving Tires for Autocross / Track Use / Competition | Storing Track & Competition DOT Tires in Cold Temperatures
(176)Tire Category: Streetable Track & Competition
| Best in Category |
| Miles Reported |
| Recommended |
| Treadwear |
|
Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2
|
|---|
| 93% |
| 696K |
| 8.4 - Good |
| 5.5 - Fair |
|
|
| 9.4 - Excellent |
|
|
| N/A |
|
|
| 7.6 - Good |
|
|
| 6.6 - Good |
Customers think the Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 delivers outstanding dry traction and track performance, with consistent grip, high-speed stability, and improved lap times when properly heated. While some note predictable breakaway and heat management needs, wet traction receives cautious feedback-users report limited confidence in standing water or cool conditions. Treadwear earns praise for a track-focused tire, with many achieving multiple heat cycles and sessions, though rapid wear occurs under high torque or aggressive alignment setups. Enthusiasts highlight its suitability for HPDEs and dry track days, emphasizing performance over longevity in extreme use.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
The car everyone has been waiting for: the 2015 Porsche Cayman GT4. And it begs to be driven on the race track. So Motor Trend Ignition's Randy Pobst took it for "one heckuva lap" on the Streets of Willow to see what the Cayman and its Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires could do. Watch in this Tire Rack Head 2 Head Hot Lap.
We're in the middle of the desert at Chuckwalla Valley Raceway, with no one around to complain about any noise, because Motor Trend Head 2 Head's Randy Pobst is in the â16 Mustang Shelby GT350R, and it's LOUD.
Its Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires, developed by Ford and Michelin, have to manage this beast's 500+ horsepower right where the rubber meets the road.
Big Willow, the fastest road in the West, is a great playground for Motor Trend Head 2 Head's Randy Pobst. Three-cups-of-coffee-wired fun, in fact, driving the 2015 Porsche 911 GT3! Its higher level of performance requires a tire with grip to match. So the Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 it is. We put it to the test during this Hot Lap at the Streets of Willow.
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