Michelin Pilot Sport 3 Tires Released

[Bruce Nunnally]

Safety, Driving Enjoyment and Energy Efficiency with the

MICHELIN Pilot Sport 3, the First Responsible Sports Tire

Enjoyable driving without any of the drawbacks may seem like a dream, but with the MICHELIN Pilot Sport 3 it’s a dream come true.

The tire was designed to provide superior driving sensations. While some may consider driving to be a subjective experience, for Michelin it’s a hard-and-fast reality. The fact is that the MICHELIN Pilot Sport 3 delivers highly precise steering, which enables the driver to maintain perfect control at all times and know exactly how the car will respond to the slightest turn of the steering wheel.

This pleasurable driving experience is coupled with safety. Statistics gathered in Europe show that accidents tend to occur during changing weather conditions. When tire grip weakens, cornering and braking become critical safety issues. Leveraging unique technologies, the MICHELIN Pilot Sport 3 provides superior grip and traction on wet roads. According to a comparative study by the independent German technical services firm TÜV SÜV Automotive, the new MICHELIN Pilot Sport 3 delivers better grip when cornering and brakes three meters shorter* than its predecessor, which has long been recognized by carmakers for its roadholding capabilities**. This is clear proof of the superior performance of the new generation of Michelin tires.

These qualities are part of the package that makes the MICHELIN Pilot Sport 3 a responsible sports tire, since it enhances enjoyment without introducing any risk. However, the package would not be complete without the added advantage of energy efficiency. That’s because the true technological challenge in tire design is to improve performance across the board.

The new MICHELIN Pilot Sport 3 meets this challenge by providing enhanced safety while also reducing fuel consumption. This benefits not only the car’s owner, who saves money, but also the environment, since CO2 emissions are reduced accordingly. In addition to its energy efficiency, the MICHELIN Pilot Sport 3 increases mileage by a remarkable 10% compared with the MICHELIN Pilot Sport PS2, which was until now the benchmark for mileage in its category***. This performance has the positive effect of reducing raw materials consumption. In other words, fewer tires will need to be manufactured to cover a given distance and fewer end-of-life tires will need to be disposed of.

*Test comparing the MICHELIN Pilot Sport 3 and the MICHELIN Pilot Sport PS2 carried out in 2009 on size 245/40 ZR 18 Y tires.

**The MICHELIN Pilot Sport range is certified by carmakers for use on more than 200 models.

***In-house tests performed on the size 225/45 ZR 17 91 Y tire.

To attest to this energy efficiency Michelin displays its GREEN X marking on the tire’s sidewalls.

All in all, the new MICHELIN Pilot Sport 3 delivers a winning trio, simultaneously enhancing safety, driving enjoyment and environmental performance. In combining these features, Michelin has effectively addressed the needs of sports vehicle users. In 2008, Institut TNS Sofres conducted a qualitative survey of more than 100 individual sport car owners in Germany, the United Kingdom and Italy. The survey clearly showed that consumers expect three things from their tires. They want to enjoy driving without sacrificing safety or having to replace tires too often. Defining these needs seems easy enough, but incorporating the right solutions into a single tire like the new MICHELIN Pilot Sport 3 represents a formidable high-tech challenge. Michelin has met that challenge thanks to a number of innovations.

Full Press kit pdf file: [click here]