Pilot Sport 4S launch like Hollywood gala

RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. (Jan. 31, 2017) — Group Michelin's worldwide launch of the Pilot Sport 4S ultra-high-performance summer tire Jan. 16-18 was more like a Hollywood premier than the typical tire introduction.

Yes, there were the usual driving opportunities to test the new product on the road and on the track at The Thermal Club, a private racing club near Rancho Mirage.

But sandwiched in between were two outdoor cocktail receptions under the Coachella Valley twilight, music from award-winning musicians and two gourmet meals, prepared by Michael Tusk, chef of three-star Michelin-rated restaurant Quince in San Francisco — meals that would be worthy of comment in the French tire maker's celebrated Michelin travel and restaurant guides.

• This story appeared in the Jan. 30 print edition of Tire Business

The company even invited some star power to the event, including actor Keanu Reeves and two Jenner brothers, Brody and Brandon, In a way, the launch was like a coming-out party for the Pilot Sport 4S, which succeeds the Pilot Super Sport, a product Michelin described as the industry-recognized "leading ultra-high-performance tire for original equipment and replacement applications."

To capture the spirit of the Pilot Sport 4S launch and the performance of the new tire, Michelin hired a video company, Vice Media Group, to record the activities. The company brought a team of more than two dozen producers,videographers and others to shoot the sights and sounds and media reactions after each ride-and-drive activity on the new tires.

These included a half-day high-speed drive — led by the California Highway Patrol — through nearby Joshua Tree National Park in Ferrari Californias, Audi RS8s and Mercedes AMGs fitted with the new tires. The other half of the day was spent on the track putting the Pilot Sport tires through a workout in autocross and follow-the-leader driving exercises, in some cases with comparison drives on competitors' tires.

Tire Business participated in the first of six waves for the global launch of the Pilot Sport 4S, with dealers and media coming from North America, Europe, Asia and elsewhere around the world over the two-week program. Each wave had about 48 participants.

In addition to traditional tire and auto print media, the initial wave included many new-media heavyweights—bloggers, social media stars and other online influencers — who Michelin hoped would spread the word to their online fans about their experiences testing the newest Michelin performance tire.

To help with this effort, the tire maker planned to send all participants a personalized video of their experience at the event so that they could share it with their audiences.

Michelin introduced the Pilot Sport 4S in the U.S. on Jan. 10 at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit after introducing the tire in Europe earlier in the month.

The company designed the tire using the latest in track-to-street technology, it said, "providing exceptional steering precision, directional stability and wet and dry braking capability."

In third-party testing in Germany against five top competitor UHP tires, the Pilot Sport 4S finished first in dry braking, in wet braking and in dry lap times, said Steve Calder, technical marketing for Michelin.

"This is like the pinnacle of Michelin performance technology," he said. "This is summer ultimate performance in wet and dry without giving up wear."

Michelin will offer the tire in the U.S. beginning March 1 in 36 sizes, including one 18-inch size and the remainder in 19- and 20-inch rim diameters.

The tire has a Y speed rating (186+ mph), 30,000-mile limited warranty and a UTQG rating of 300 A AA, which Mr. Calder describes as "pretty unique" in this category.

Michelin will manufacture 17 of the sizes at factories in France and 19 sizes at plants in South Carolina.

In designing the tire, Michelin said it used construction methods and materials directly developed in competitions such as FIA World Endurance Championships, the 24 hours of Le Mans, Formula E and the World Rally Championship.

To enhance response and traction, the tire is designed with a hybrid belt package and variable contact patch, said Sarah Robinson, an engineer and former test driver for Michelin.

In addition, the tire's mold profile and construction enables precise control of the shape of the contact patch, said Carl Driver, senior product development engineer for Michelin. Having equal pressures on the contact patch enables the tire to stop quicker, he said.

Compared with the Pilot Sport, the tire it is replacing, the Pilot Sport 4S offers a 12 percent reduction in rolling resistance, 4 percent better wet braking, 3 percent better dry braking and 9 percent better wear, Mr. Calder said.

"This is really impressive to make that many improvements without giving up anything," Mr. Calder said.

Michelin will phase out the Pilot Sport over the next couple of years as OE contracts for the tire expire.

Michelin has OE fitment contracts with the Pilot Sport 4S on the Ferrari GTC4 Lusso and the Mercedes AMG E43 and E63 vehicles. In addition, it has another 60 to 70 OE development projects in process for potential OE fitments, Mr. Driver said.

Michelin's launch of the ultra-high performance Pilot Sport 4 S included high-speed driving opportunities on the track and road, a film crew and technical discussions including one by Carl Driver, a senior product development engineer.