Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 (240) Extreme Performance Summer Tires in 285/30ZR20

I was dubious about whether to get these in case we ever had a wet day on track, sure enough, first track day of the season, it rains all day, I was still pulling over 1 G in corners. Dry traction is unreal. They squeal way before they let go so give you plenty of warning, feedback is really good and I was surprised how well they ware as well.

I was dubious about whether to get these in case we ever had a wet day on track, sure enough, first track day of the season, it rains all day, I was still pulling over 1 G in corners. Dry traction is unreal. They squeal way before they let go so give you plenty of warning, feedback is really good and I was surprised how well they ware as well.

The Pilot Sport Cup 2 Connect (240) is an excellent UUHP tire. I've been driving performance and modified cars for 20 years, and these are the sweet spot for spirited driving and fast road use. I don't track my car, and not sure if I will. Just the country roads in New Jersey, New York Bear Mountain runs, etc. They are a level up in every category over the Pilot Sport 4S or Conti Extreme Contact Sport 02. Of course, except for wet traction and wet braking, according to tests. However, even in heavy rain, I could not notice a difference under normal driving circumstances. Former British racing driver Steve Suttclife, from Tyre Seeker tested this tire against the Bridgestone Potenza Race and Pirelli Trofeo R, and they all achieved faster lap times in the wet than their fastest UHP versions on the test track using the 4-wheel drive Mercedes A35 AMG. The steering response in torrential rain feels identical to the dry. For the gain you get in dry weather, it's worth it! It's pointless and unsafe to drive at high speeds in rainy weather. I keep my distance and take it slow. However, if the roads are wet, the grip will be fine. The only time you won't have grip is when temperatures drop below 45f, and it's wet. At those temperatures, you are putting yourself at risk. I used an infrared heat gun to monitor the tire temperatures where Michelin no longer sells the Track Connect kit. On the road, you likely won't see tire temperatures above 110F even after highway use in 85F ambient temps. My car is parked outside on my driveway so the tires are warm and grip from the start! I was still able to achieve 37 mpg driving in Eco mode despite the high rolling resistance.

The steering response is excellent, and I feel confident on sweeping highway bends. No more delayed steering response that the PS4S have which I couldn't stand. I don't know how Michelin did it, but the sidewall is stiff yet not harsh.

These are my Time Trial and Track Day tires. They helped me win the car's first SCCA Time Trial by a huge margin in my class, almost matching a couple cars with more power on full slicks. For track days they are reasonable to warm up, grip well, are progressive when they slip, and don't overheat any quicker than I'd expect for a tire like this. On my M2 I have to actively manage the front end much more with these tires vs. the OEM P Zeros, which might be due to the street-biased alignment up front.

As with any tire like this, they are sensitive to temperature and pressure. I suspect most drivers would be faster on a traditional UHP summer tire, but if you're buying these you probably understand how to use them, or have access to coaching to get you there. If so, you'll love them.

Incredible tire. Gave me my entire 2nd gear back (ps4s my second gear will spin). Great tire for basic street and heavy track use.

Amazing grip, very quiet relative to others in the category. Fantastic sidewall look with the checkered flag motif.

Cup 2s are gold standard HPDE and open track day tires for 19 and 20 inch wheels. They are definitely better on track than Pilot Sport 4S. Cup 2 tread wear also holds up much better than 4S. Immediately prior I had a set of Michelin Cup 2Rs. The Cup 2Rs wore down rapidly and needed replacement after one and then two track days. Also current Cup 2 have adequate grip on the street. Whereas Cup 2Rs were never able to heat up sufficiently and limited grip was scary on the street. The Pilot Sport 4S is not enough of a track tire (excellent street tire) and I’ve found the Cup 2 to be the perfect sweet spot.

A fast, consistent, and long wearing street/track tires with excellent road manners (compared to 100tw and 200tw tires of this segment). Not the fastest, but considering its durability I'm really impressed. Faster and a lot more communicative than a Hankook RS4, with almost as much grip to a Nitto NT01, but with much better streetability. I've managed 6 track days and some 4100 street/track miles before the outer shoulders started showing their cords up front. Had I rotated these more frequently and ran more negative camber (currently running -3.1fr, -2.5r), they would have another 2 more track days left in them and probably double the street mileage. This is on a 3450 lb (with driver) E46 M3 running a 265/35/18 square setup shooting for 33-34 psi hot. These take a lap or two to warm up, so lap 3-5 are your hero laps. After that they fall off slightly, but not as sharply as the 180tw Cup 2s and will happily lap a 30 minute session on a hot day.

Definitely ordering another set and this time will use the Track Connect app to optimize tire usage! NOTE: The scoring is answered in context to other similar 100-200tw tires.

For a track focused car, these are great. I loved my PS4s, but they delaminated on the 5th track day as they can not handle the heat and the outside shoulder takes a beating.

I have had 4 track days and expect 2-3 more on the Cup 2 240's. The tire wear is amazingly even and I only have -1 deg and -2 deg camber.

They do grip a little better than the PS4s but don't expect to drop 4 seconds off your lap times. The biggest difference is how well these hold up to repeated track days where the PS4s started to chunk and separate.

I found the grip pretty consistent during the session after a warm up lap and did not experience the "hero lap" many people said happened with the original Cup 2s.

I have already had a second set delivered so I don't risk and Supply Chain issues and missing a track day.