- This is the third time Porsche has worked with Michelin on tires for the Carrera GT.
- Advancements in tire technology mean the mid-engined great can brake much quicker than before.
- The tires are being provided as part of a recall that also includes several new suspension parts.
Lots of supercars have come and gone over the decades, but there’s only a select few that could be considered true icons of the industry. The Porsche Carrera GT is one of them and it’s so important for the brand that more than 20 years after its launch, a new set of bespoke tires have been developed for it.
We first heard about these new tires earlier in the month after Porsche started notifying Carrera GT owners that it had developed a fix for a suspension issue which triggered a recall 18 months ago. In the letter sent to owners, Porsche revealed all Carrera GTs would be updated with a set of new Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires free of charge. Porsche has since revealed that these are no normal, off-the-shelf tires and have been developed specifically for the mid-engined supercar.
Read: Porsche Carrera GT Owners Get Free Tires And $109,000 Worth Of Suspension Upgrades
These custom Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires replace the bespoke Pilot Super Sport tires that were developed for the Carrera GT in 2013 and the original Pilot Sport PS2 tires the car left the factory with two decades ago. The latest Michelins use two different rubber compounds in the tread to maximize grip in both wet and dry conditions.
Porsche claims the new tires give the Carrera GT the potential to achieve quicker lap times while also making it easier to drive in a “spirited manner.” Braking distances from 62 mph (100 km/h) have also been reduced by 8 feet (2.4 meters), and when decelerating from 124 mph (200 km/h), the Carrera GT now needs 39 fewer feet (11.9 meters) to come to a stop.
“The Carrera GT is an absolute dream car,” Porsche development driver Joerg Bergmeister said. “This is why I’m particularly excited that the new tire raises the performance of this legend to a new level. It’s very unusual for new tires to be developed for a 20-year-old vehicle. This underscores how important the Carrera GT is for Porsche and their customers to this day.”
Those fortunate enough to own a Carrera GT can order the new rubber from official Porsche Centers around the world.
