Michelin invited me to Palm Springs to test their new Pilot Sport 4S and...

[berns]

You guessed it. It's a great $#@!ing tire. However, I didn't see or feel any massive improvements over the Super Sport. Oh yeah, the name... Some weird bureaucratic reasoning behind it, but it should have been the Michelin Pilot Super Sport II.

Michelin set me up for two nights at the Ritz Carlton in Palm Springs. We ate a fancy meal, prepared by a Michelin-starred chef who flew in with his team from Chicago. Did you know Michelin restaurants and Michelin tires were the same Michelin? It was news to many in attendance.

The following morning, we headed out to The Thermal Club. A seriously awesome new track in the desert, members only, country club style scene, and where the BMW Performance driving school takes place.

There was quite a bit of rain, which proved for an interesting test. I drove an M2 and an M4 on track for about 10 laps each. The wet grip of the 4s was seriously impressive, especially in cars like these with so much torque and hyper-responsive accelerator pedals.

There was also some classroom time, where some French Michelin engineers told us about rubber compounds and showed fancy charts with different heat colors etc... Even the employees mentioned the Super Sport was the top of its class, and improving on it was no easy task. So, the 4s is really just marginally better, rebranded and designed to bring the attention back to Michelin with a tire that will hold them over for a few more years till the next big advancement in rubber.

I also drove a 340i on a drying-up Autocross course, fitted with the 4s and competitors from Goodyear, Bridgestone and Pirelli. The Goodyears weren't far behind, but you really could feel the Michelin's working best, giving the quickest response and most grip of all the competitors. Timed runs and braking distances concluded the same. Funny how that worked out in their favor!

Afternoon came and the rain was gone for good. We headed out for a 3 hour drive around Joshua Tree national park with some fun cars, including a police escort to avoid any trouble. Ferrari California T ($#@!, the motor in here is amazing and the Michelin's gave me traction all the way through 2nd gear), R8 V10 plus (what a goddamn delight this car is. if you haven't driven one, do yourself a favor. SO GOOD), and lastly, the new C63 (fun car, loads of torque, kind of uninspiring in comparison to the M's).

Now, my honest opinion, for what it's worth -- I've driven most fast, new cars since 2008. I've worked in the automotive industry for 9 years, previously on staff at 0-60 Magazine, Rides Magazine and was Senior Editor for European Car Mag for two years as well. I still shoot and write for a few, including Road & Track, and I'm addicted to making cars handle well and make unusable gobs of power.

I usually run aggressive tires on the street, like the Falken Azenis RT615k, Dunlop Direzza Star Spec II, Hankook RS3 etc... They are affordable and provide insane grip and stability. Caveat is always the treadwear. My Falken's are 180, and the Michelin's are 300... You'll pay for this, and I'd still say my RT615k's would outperform them in an all-out dry test. Though the engineering and rubber compound in the Pilot Sport 4s is undeniably superb, and their ability to find traction in dangerously wet conditions was pretty mind blowing. Wet traction with the Falkens is scary. The Michelin's are silent on road and track, they don't get greasy when hot, and they look phenomenal. There's a reason the brand carries such a successful history with its name.

Should you buy these? I assume they'll stop making the Super Sport, so yes, if you like those tires, you will absolutely love these as well. The best has gotten ever so slightly better. Would I buy them? We'll see how much they are first. But I'd definitely consider a set because of the treadwear.

FYI, just did a search for the Super Sports and they are CHEAP right now! Would be a good time to restock.

Here are some quick pictures from the event. Feel free to ask my any questions, happy to talk about any of this stuff.











And for good measure, here's an M4 GTS taking off into the sunset. Why they ditched a screaming V8 for this terrible sound will always be beyond me.

[DavidV]

Sounds like you had a really fun day!

Did Michelin say when they will release other sizes than the 19" and 20" they do now?
Will they release all the same sizes as the PSS has?
And in Europe as well as in the USA?

[berns]

Sounds like you had a really fun day!

Did Michelin say when they will release other sizes than the 19" and 20" they do now?
Will they release all the same sizes as the PSS has?
And in Europe as well as in the USA?

They are still a ways out from offering a full range of sizes, so the PSS will be around for a bit still. No exact date was mentioned, but it was said that it'd be more of a gradual transitional process. My understanding is it'll be a global change, as they invited people out to the event from all over.

[Optigrab]

Sounds like you had a really fun day!

Did Michelin say when they will release other sizes than the 19" and 20" they do now?
Will they release all the same sizes as the PSS has?
And in Europe as well as in the USA?

I read in one of the articles that their will be one 18 size available at launch cant seem to find the article but it it listed here. There seems to be lots of conflicting info.

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires....S4SXL&i1_Qty=4



Edit found it

The product line initially includes 35 sizes, in widths ranging from 225mm to 345mm, aspect ratios from 30 to 45, and rim diameters from 18 to 20 inches.

http://www.michelin.com/eng/media-ro...arket-at-NAIAS

[R.G.]

Sounds like an amazing trip and thanks for the great write up. My only issue with the Michelins has been the price tag vs. something like the Star Specs. The Michelins more then likely out perform them in the rain but dry performance is pretty close at half the cost. If I lived in a city or tracked where it rained frequently I'd likely have a set. Thanks again!
Currently running Yoko Advan R and after 10k miles both sides have feathered and have become annoyingly noisy. Won't be a returning customer.

[berns]

Sounds like an amazing trip and thanks for the great write up. My only issue with the Michelins has been the price tag vs. something like the Star Specs. The Michelins more then likely out perform them in the rain but dry performance is pretty close at half the cost. If I lived in a city or tracked where it rained frequently I'd likely have a set. Thanks again!
Currently running Yoko Advan R and after 10k miles both sides have feathered and have become annoyingly noisy. Won't be a returning customer.

I hear you. The Michelin price tag is certainly something that keeps the tuners away, when we can get better all-out dry performance from a less expensive tire. However, as far as my Falkens are concerned (180 treadwear) and your Dunlop's (200 treadwear), you're gaining a better all around tire that will last a hell of a lot longer, therefore the price increase.

Again, though, I think it's a great time to jump on some Super Sports at the link I posted above, for all these reasons.

[Velocity26]

Getting close to time to replace my Michelin PSS tires and decided to price out a set of the 4S tires. Not bad, about $100 more for a set when compared to comparable sized set of PSS, even though the PSS are on sale (being clearanced out).

What I did not like was that the PS 4S are narrower than the same size of PSS. I currently have the 265/30/19's in the rear and am planning to replace them with 275's for some extra rubber. The 275 PSS are 10.2" wide (tread) and the 4S are 9.7" wide. That is same as a 255 PSS. My 265's show to be 10" wide ... I would be losing rubber to go with 275 4S's?

[Sticky]

I would be losing rubber to go with 275 4S's?

Tires all vary from their actual measurements. I doubt you would really lose much of anything but only one way to find out...

[maxnix]

Currently running Yoko Advan R and after 10k miles both sides have feathered and have become annoyingly noisy. Won't be a returning customer.

Had the same problem with Direzzas on 2 ton sedan. 10K and they were shot for highway use.