MARANELLO, Italy (Aug. 20, 2013) — Italian car maker Ferrari S.p.A. has selected Group Michelin as the exclusive supplier of tires for its Ferrari 458 Speciale, a higher-performance version of its mid-engine two-seater.
The 458 Speciale features powertrain and performance upgrades that set new standards for the company's road cars, including a 605-hp V-8 vs. the 458 Italia's 570-hp version.
According to Michelin, Ferrari and the French tire maker pooled their "cutting-edge engineering resources, wheel assembly expertise, passion for performance… and analytical capabilities" to co-develop the Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires fitted to the limited edition 458.
The partners focused on three key performance criteria: faster lap time on dry asphalt, consistent performance lap after lap and optimal grip on wet roads, Michelin said.
The car uses 245/35 ZR 20 91 Y tires in the front and 305/30 ZR 20 103 Y in the rear.
The 458 Speciale also is 6.5-percent lighter than the 458 Italia and 0.4 seconds quicker in 0-60 mph acceleration.