Geneva 2019
For 2019, the 89th edition of the motor show was held at its usual venue, the Geneva Pale Expo. The show opened to the public on March 7, 2019 and ran through March 17.
MICHELIN had its own stand (5261) in Hall 5 for the first time in ten years, with a total surface area of 3401 sqft (98 ft long x 34 ft wide).
MICHELIN: Using innovation to improve performance
Innovation has always been in the Michelin Group’s genes when it comes to designing tires and mobility services for drivers.
Thanks to its extraordinary ability to innovate, Michelin presented two newcomers to the MICHELIN Pilot Sport line at the Geneva International Motor Show that offer exceptional performance designed for every driving situation, both on the road and on the track. The tires feature superior traction and were designed to last.
To meet the needs of consumers who want to enjoy the full potential of their car and enhance their track driving experience, MICHELIN has two new options for them from the Pilot Sport family: the MICHELIN Pilot Sport 4 SUV and the MICHELIN Pilot Sport Cup2 R.
These two new products make use of technologies that come straight from racing. They were developed in partnership with the world’s most demanding carmakers (Porsche, Ferrari, Mercedes-AMG and others).
Track Connect, MICHELIN’s smart tire solution, addresses the expectations of racecar drivers who want to optimize their performance on the track. It gives drivers a way to take pleasure in driving knowing they can trust their tires through the very last lap. The MICHELIN Track Connect app analyzes tire pressure and temperature data in real time to give its customers the best advice in real time to improve their lap times.
1. The MICHELIN Pilot Sport 4 SUV tire
The sport tire for SUVs
The SUV market has risen sharply in recent years, with a significant increase in demand especially in the Chinese market.
This is a new challenge for tire designers, who must take into account that SUVs have a much lower center of gravity and a much heavier weight than traditional sports cars. Accordingly, SUV tires have to withstand much greater centrifugal and lateral forces. Control and stability at high speed are key, not to mention safety and tire longevity.
The new MICHELIN Pilot Sport 4 SUV tire replaces the MICHELIN Latitude Sport 3 and can be used on all compact, medium, premium and sports SUV and 4x4 vehicles.
This new tire was created with the Michelin Group’s extraordinary innovation as well as the latest technologies from the MICHELIN Pilot Sport line. Developed in partnership with the world’s most demanding carmakers, this tire is part of the MICHELIN Pilot Sport family of high-performance, reliable and versatile tires.
The MICHELIN Pilot Sport 4 SUV tire enhances the comfort and driving experience of sporty SUVs by offering safety on wet and dry roads plus increased longevity compared to competitors. It combines all of these features thanks to racing technologies.
Asymmetrical tread
The new MICHELIN Pilot Sport 4 SUV tire delivers exceptional traction compared to competitors thanks to the asymmetrical tread design, which features an external section for dry terrain and an internal section for wet terrain. This new combination is made of innovative functional elastomers that also improve load distribution.
Finally, the grooves in the tread were designed to stiffen the design and improve lateral traction. To enhance driving precision, the tread uses “Dynamic Response” technology, a hybrid aramid/nylon reinforcement.
> Find out more about the MICHELIN Pilot Sport 4 SUV tire
2. The MICHELIN Pilot Sport Cup2 R tire
The semi-slick tire designed specifically to beat lap records
The MICHELIN Pilot Sport Cup2 R tire was tailor made with the most prestigious sports carmakers such as Porsche and Ferrari to meet the needs of ultra-high-performance car drivers looking for unrivaled performance on the track.
The road-certified MICHELIN Pilot Sport Cup2 R tire also maximizes grip on dry tracks and gives drivers a very high level of traction so they can take turns at extremely high speeds.
Track tests performed by Michelin with different carmakers confirmed an average gain of 0.8 seconds per mile.
Technologies straight from car racing
This level of performance is possible thanks to Michelin engineers’ use of rubber blends used in racing with optimal grip on the track.
The new tread on the MICHELIN Pilot Sport Cup2 R tire has been specially adapted to dry track conditions. The number of sipes was reduced on the outer shoulder while the central sipes are narrower to stiffen the tire for better traction and to enhance driving precision.
At the end of the day, the tire’s surface contact area increased by nearly +10%. MICHELIN Pilot Sport Cup2 R tire lets drivers make the most of the potential of today’s ultra-high-performance cars, such as the Ferrari 488 Pista.
The challenge was to push the traction limits of the 488 Pista even further. Thanks to the ‘R’ version of the Pilot Sport Cup2, we substantially improved lap times without losing the Ferrari 488 Pista’s characteristic driving experience and responsiveness.
Like all tires developed by Michelin in collaboration with Ferrari, the Ferrari test drivers worked side by side with Michelin’s engineers. They used TameTire, a tire simulation software program developed by the Michelin Group that lets drivers test tires virtually before taking them onto the track for traditional tests.
The MICHELIN Pilot Sport Cup2 R tire with a K1 marking was designed specifically for Ferrari cars with the following dimensions:
- Front 245 / 35ZR20 (95Y) PS CUP2 R K1
- Back 305 / 30ZR20 (103Y) PS CUP2 R K1
3. MICHELIN Track Connect
The first smart tire sold to improve your track driving experience
Michelin was the first manufacturer to sell a smart tire in 2018 for amateur drivers looking to improve their lap times.
After just a few laps on the track, the pressure in each tire can increase depending on track conditions, the car and driving style. This can significantly worsen the car’s performance and tire wear.
Any driver would dream of having a Michelin engineer in their pit to help adjust the pressure of each tire as precisely as possible. Now you can. MICHELIN Track Connect makes this a dream come true by providing tailored advice on adjusting tire pressure to enhance performance and the driving experience. MICHELIN Track Connect assists drivers before, during and after driving.