BMW has confirmed that the Michelin Pilot Super Sport will be its only fitment for its new high-performance M6 coupe and convertible models. The BMW M6 was launched to the market in the summer of 2012. It will exclusively feature the advanced Michelin Pilot Super Sport, which is the product of the unique merging of three technologies -- the Twaron-reinforced belt, the Bi-Compound tread band and the Variable Contact Patch 2.0. The Twaron belt is a high-density fibre that’s mainly used in aeronautics and protective military gear as high strength is its key feature. Twaron® offers five times more resistance than steel at equivalent weight. It’s both light and strong. Because of its variable tension, the belt is tighter in the tread area compared to the shoulders.
The centrifugal force is more effectively controlled and pressure is more evenly distributed. Bi-Compound technology, which was developed for race tires initially, makes use of various rubber compounds on the left and right sides of the tread. Its outer shoulder uses an elastomer that guarantees outstanding endurance during cornering. Meanwhile, its interior has a different elastomer that works with a special tread design to allow the tire, on wet roads, to break through the water’s surface and adhere to the slightest road irregularities.
The Variable Contact Patch 2.0 could change its shape, depending on its actual driving conditions, therefore ensuring total vehicle control. The amount of rubber in contact with the road then stays the same because the patch’s shape will be changing even when cornering. The use of these three technologies offers a drive that meets BMW M’s standards, especially when it comes to precise steering, handling and safety, on both road and track. The Michelin Pilot Super Sport provides high mileage potential, which is typical of this brand. This performance balance stands for the successful transmission of technology from track to street, as well as the close collaboration with the automaker, started many years ago for the BMW M5 project.
