BMW fits Michelin tires on new top-end models

Paris – BMW has selected Michelin’s Pilot Super Sport tire as the sole 21-inch fitment for its new high-performance X5 M and X6 M models, the French tire group announced 19 Feb.

From its market launch in early 2015, the BMW X5 M and X6 M fitted with the optional 21-inch forged alloy wheels, will be equipped exclusively with MICHELIN Pilot Super Sport tires, said the press statement.

The 285/35ZR21 105Y front and 325/30ZR21 108Y rear ultra-high-performance tires feature a number of Michelin technologies including multi-compound tread and Variable Contact Patch 2.0.

The tire, said Michelin, are the result of a two-year co-development with BMW. During this development phase, it said, around 1,400 prototype and 500 pre-production tires were produced and tested to deliver the required performance characteristics.

Originally developed for endurance race tires, multi-compound technology uses different rubber compounds on the left and right sides of the tread. The outer shoulder provides exceptional grip and wear resistance during cornering, intermediate ribs are optimised for steering and handling and the inner shoulder is designed to break through water and provide grip on wet roads.

The Variable Contact Patch 2.0 changes shape depending on real-time driving conditions for enhanced vehicle control: as the patch’s shape changes when cornering, the amount of rubber in contact with the road remains the same.