Published on October 19th, 2016 | by Subhash Nair
0Michelin Launches Pilot Sport 4 in Malaysia, The New Benchmark
Michelin has launched the game-changing Pilot Sport 4. These new performance tyres go even further than their predecessors, offering innovations and advanced technologies that increase every aspect of performance and safety for drivers seeking a pleasurable, safe drive.
The internal tests carried out by Michelin revealed that the Pilot Sport 4 surpasses its mainstream competitors and has become the leading ultra-high performance tyre, especially when it comes to wet and dry braking. It features Michelin’s Dynamic Response technology, which consists of a belt with hybrid aramid and nylon reinforcement that allows the tyre to withstand centrifugal forces and maintain contact patch stability at very high speeds. Its new tread design, inspired by the ones found on Formula E racing tyres, are made to handle tremendous amounts of torque – making the Pilot Sport 4 suitable for those with powerful hybrids. The deep longitudinal grooves can effectively remove water from the contact pact, giving a significant reduction in the risk of aquaplaning.
The sidewalls have been given a special coating to make the Michelin branding really stand out, even without having them freshly cleaned.
Their latest generation of functional elastomers and silica hydrophobics were added to the rubber compound in order to increase braking efficiency and traction on both dry and wet surfaces.
We had the opportunity to try them out for ourselves, comparing them to their closest competitor. From our testing, the new tyres from Michelin had a significant advantage, stopping faster from 80km/h by 2-4 metres in the wet. They even provided more grip during the slaloms, especially in the wet.
They are available in 23 sizes, and fit rims sized between 16 and 19 inches. The Michelin Pilot Sport 4 starts at RM481.