A few weeks ago, we wrote about how Porsche will fit all Carrera GTs in America with new tires as part of a recall repair. Porsche today revealed a bit more info about the tire, a new Pilot Sport Cup 2 co-developed with Michelin specifically for the V-10 supercar.
Michelin was the original tire supplier for the Carrera GT, designing a set of Pilot Sport 2 tires for its launch back in 2004. In 2013, Porsche and Michelin developed a version of the Pilot Super Sport for the car, and a little over a decade later, they’ve done the same with the Cup 2. Over the last two decades, tire technology has evolved significantly, and the new Cup 2 for the Carrera GT promises better performance overall. Porsche says lap times are quicker, braking distances are reduced, and according to factory development driver Jorg Bergmeister, the tires “do not just make the Carrera GT faster, they also make it easier for the driver to pilot the car in a spirited manner.”
That’s a significant point because it seems Porsche wants to address the Carrera GT’s reputation for tricky handling. The car has no stability-control system, and while the it’s probably more docile than people make it out to be, that reputation is still there. And certainly, a Cup 2 will have a lot more grip than a Pilot Super Sport or a Pilot Sport 2 ever did in their day.
These Michelins have a Porsche N0 homologation and come in the OE sizes of 265/35ZR19 front, 335/30ZR20 rear. Michelin used two compounds on the inner and outer section of the tire to help improve dry and wet handling. The rubber was tested at the Nürburgring, among other tracks.
Porsche and Michelin aren’t the only ones doing this. Ferrari and Pirelli have recently developed new tires for the 288 GTO and Enzo, and Porsche regularly collaborates with tire makers on new rubber for its old cars. But a Cup 2 for a car like a Carrera GT is unique. The supercar may be 20 years old, but its performance is not far off today’s high-performance machines, so it benefits from the latest technology.