Michelin Takes Bugatti Beyond 300 MPH

A Bugatti Chiron shod with Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres became the world’s fastest car after clocking a blistering speed of 490.5 km/h.

The Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres used for the record are very similar to regular tyres. These tyres are marked ‘BG’, meaning they are specifically designed for the Bugatti and are completely street legal. The only difference with the tyres that were used for breaking the record was that the casing belts were reinforced to handle the 5,300g which the tyre must withstand at high speeds.

During the development of Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres Michelin used its Technology Centre in Ladoux, France, and its site in Charlotte SC, USA, where specialist machinery was employed to carry out the most extreme test on tyres.

To test the tyres at extreme speeds that Bugatti Chiron is capable of, Michelin used a test machine which was designed to test tyres fitted to the space shuttle and can test up to 510km/h.

Commenting on the achievement, Pierre Chandezon, Bugatti tyre design leader at Michelin said: Michelin is very proud to have been an integral part of this record and it is the fruit of the relationship between us and Bugatti which stretches back almost 20 years. With this in mind, it was the trust built up over this time that gave Bugatti the confidence to allow Michelin to develop the sole original equipment fitment tires for the Chiron.’

The Pilot Sport Cup 2 as claimed can rotate 4,100 times per minute and before they make way to the wheels of the Chiron, these tyres are made to go through X-Rays to detect any imperfection. In addition to their exceptional speed capability and high safety levels, the Sport Cup 2 also adds to the comfort of the car on the road so that the owners can enjoy this supercar in al driving condition.

This achievement by the Chiron puts it ahead of the SSC that clocked 256.18 mph, Hennessey 270.49 mph and also the Koenigsegg at 278 mph. Here is a video of how Bugatti did it…

https://youtu.be/FuS_bXJNync