Porsche and Michelin Develop New Pilot Sport Cup 2 Tires for the Carrera GT
Porsche built the last Carrera GT nearly 20 years ago, but the brand is still looking for ways to improve the model. It joined forces with Michelin to develop new Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires specifically for the Carrera GT.
“It’s very unusual for new tires to be developed for a 20-year-old vehicle. This underscores how important the Carrera GT is for Porsche and its customers to this day,” said former factory driver Jörg Bergmeister.
That said, this isn’t the first time Porsche has updated the Carrera GT’s tires. The model made its debut with sticky Michelin Pilot Sport PS2 tires to keep up with the naturally-aspirated 605-horsepower V-10. In 2013, a decade after production started, Michelin and Porsche released a new Pilot Super Sport tire as an update.
The latest tire developed for Porsche’s supercar from the early 2000s benefits from advancements in compound technology. The brand explains it aimed to improve driving dynamics, both on dry and on wet pavement. Michelin achieved this by using two different rubber compounds in the tread: the inner shoulder and tread blocks use silica for better handling on wet roads, while the outer shoulder and tread blocks feature a mixture that notably includes industrial soot to achieve better handling on dry pavement.
We’re told that the improvements are perceptible. Porsche claims the new Pilot Sport Cup 2 tire allows the Carrera GT to post quicker lap times while making it easier to drive at high speeds. They notably reduce the stopping distance by up to 8 feet from 62 mph and by up to 39 feet from 124 mph.
Porsche built precisely 1,270 units of the Carrera GT between 2003 and 2006. If you’ve got one in your collection, and if it’s due for new tires, visit any Porsche center to order a set of the new Michelin Pilot Cup Sport 2 tires. Pricing hasn’t been announced; they won’t be cheap, but neither is a Carrera GT.
I noted Pirelli and now Michelin are making these updated tires for the older super cars. Many of these cars took odd sizes and many were discontinued,
The problem is for the lower priced sports cars. Cars like the C5 Z06 have limited choices as many companies no longer make the front tires. You are limited to maybe one company and type if you are lucky.
Even some CUV models may face this as a few use 19″ and they are limited in offerings.
With economics as they are tire companies can not makes all the sizes and if they do they will be very expensive so it could only be justified for a 288 GTO or F50.
One would think a Corvette would have enough of a following to release a tire in it’s size. It’s nice to see Michelin do this but more tire sizes are needed.