In 2011, Michelin debuted the Pilot Super Sport max performance tire and immediately raised the benchmark for street performance tires. Over the last five years, the Pilot Super Sport has constantly been ranked at the top of the Max Performance Summer tire category and has garnered many raving reviews from media outlets, including here on the BMWBLOG.
Arguably one of the best tire testing sites, the Tire Rack has included the Michelin Pilot Super Sport tire in three of their real-world road ride and performance track drive evaluations, and it has emerged as the top choice every time. Recently, the competition has released some new tires and the Tire Rack once again put them to the test to see if they could knock the Pilot Super Sport off of its throne.
The three competitors for this round are the Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 3, the Kumho Ecsta PS91, and the Pirelli P Zero (PZ4). All of these tires represent the best of each manufacturer’s street tire technology and were mounted up to identical 2014 BMW F30 328i sedans in a 245/40R18 square fitment.
Spoiler Alert: You can read the full test report at TireRack.com.
For those that just want to see the results, here is what the Tire Rack had to say:
“The competition continues to draw ever closer, but after the data was compiled, the reigning king retained the crown. With its quiet ride, satisfying on-road handling, impressive wet traction and dry track performance that continues to set the standard for the category, the Michelin Pilot Super Sport is the complete package and earns its position at the top of the charts.”
As for the competitors, “The Pirelli P Zero (PZ4) is an excellent wet performer with civilized manners on the street and competitive dry track statistics. Goodyear’s Eagle F1 Asymmetric 3 is somewhat out of place in an on-track situation, but provides a comfortable ride and an easygoing nature that feels well suited to a high-powered, long-distance cruiser. Despite its 4th place finish, the Kumho Ectsa PS91 received many positive comments from our testers, and presents a compelling value proposition for the Max Performance Summer category.”
In this day in age, innovation is rapid. If you don’t create new products every couple of years, you fall behind. But somehow, even after over five years on the market, the Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires continue to prove that they are the best high performance tires that you can buy.
