Porsche Carrera GT
Providing the latest tires after 10 years
When the car first debuted, Michelin supplied the “Pilot Sport PS2” for the Carrera GT. In 2013, this was changed to the “Pilot Super Sport,” and now, more than 10 years later, the decision has been made to introduce the new “Pilot Sport Cup 2.”
When it debuted in 2003, the Carrera GT was one of the fastest production cars. Porsche based the naturally aspirated V10 engine used in the Le Mans 24 Hours race on its engine, increasing displacement from 5.5 liters to 5.7 liters. Despite weighing just 1,380 kg, it delivered 612 PS (450 kW) and 590 Nm of torque. Its top speed was 330 km/h, and it accelerated from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.9 seconds.
In 2024, nearly 20 years after the end of production of the Carrera GT, Porsche, in collaboration with Michelin, announced new ultra-high performance tires for the Carrera GT. Utilizing the latest tire technology, the tires have been optimized for both wet and dry conditions, with rubber compounding and structure optimized.
Porsche brand ambassador and development driver Jörg Bergmeister, who was testing a Carrera GT equipped with Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires, commented: “The Carrera GT is truly a dream car. I’m really pleased with the introduction of these new tires, which will take the performance of this legendary super sports car to a new level.”
The Carrera GT has been fitted with exclusive Michelin tires since its inception. At the time of its debut, the car was fitted with the Pilot Sport PS2 tires, and with the first update in 2013, the tires were also changed to the Pilot Super Sport tires. The newly introduced Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires also carry the “N” mark, indicating that they are exclusive to Porsche, with the first batch bearing the “N0” mark.
Testing at the Nürburgring
Porsche brand ambassador Jörg Bergmeister (left) participated in the development of the Pilot Sport Cup 2 for the Carrera GT. Testing was also carried out on the Nürburgring Nordschleife.
Bergmeister, who has experience competing in various motorsport categories, participated in the development of tires for the Carrera GT. He expressed surprise that Porsche and Michelin had developed new tires for a super sports car that debuted more than 20 years ago, saying, “It’s very unusual to develop new tires for a car that’s 20 years old.”
The development goal for the new Carrera GT tyres was to further improve driving performance and safety in both wet and dry conditions, and to achieve this, the tread uses two different rubber compounds (bi-compound technology).
“We use silica on the inner shoulder and inner tread blocks to create a compound that is optimal for wet grip. The compound on the outer shoulder and outer tread blocks of the tire is designed for dry grip, and one of the most important materials here is carbon black,” explained Mathieu Greco, Michelin development engineer in charge of developing tires for Porsche sports cars.
To optimise levels of dry grip, the tyre’s outer shoulder and tread block compounds have been redesigned. The contact patch has been optimised through extensive driving dynamics and handling testing, which has also been carried out on the Nürburgring Nordschleife.
“During the Nürburgring test, I was impressed by how the engineers have improved the feedback at the limit. You can now feel more clearly the point at which the tyres start to lose grip,” Bergmeister recalls.
Significantly reduced braking distance
The Pilot Sport Cup 2 for the Carrera GT not only improves performance on the circuit, but also significantly reduces the stopping distance during sudden braking, enabling safer braking.
The Pilot Sport Cup 2 equipped Carrera GT significantly improves driving balance, resulting in improved driving performance and faster lap times on circuits such as the Nürburgring. Bergmeister pointed out the following about this improvement:
“The new tires not only make the Carrera GT faster, but also allow it to be driven at high speeds safely. This shows that tire development is constantly progressing. Advances in tire technology in motorsports are directly fed back to commercially available tires. Racing can be thought of as a tire development laboratory. The Pilot Sport Cup 2 has also achieved a significant performance improvement through the transfer of technology from racing.”
In addition to improved driving performance, stopping distances during hard braking have also been reduced. The braking distance from 100 km/h to a complete stop has been reduced by 2.5 metres. When braking from 200 km/h, the car can stop 12 metres faster than before. “Specially developed tyres always offer significant advantages to the driver, not only in terms of performance but also in terms of safety. The braking distance data in particular were very impressive,” says Bergmeister.
The new Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires for the Carrera GT were developed in close collaboration between Michelin, Porsche Classic and the Porsche Development Centre in Weissach. Orders are now open at Porsche Classic Partners or Porsche Centres.
