Michelin is coming out with a tyre that can handle 300 mph (483 km/h)



The hypercar scene is all about bragging rights of who has the – fastest sprint time, loudest exhaust or highest top speed. Because why else would you spend millions on a car with two seats. Hypercars like the Hennessey Venom F5 was built for one absolute purpose, to be the first production car to hit over 483 km/h (300 mph).

The 1,600 hp hypercar wants to humiliate other big players like the Bugatti Chiron and Koenigsegg Agera RS to claim the title of fastest car in the world. But there is one problem, the stickiest tyres out there are not ready to handle 300 mph.

According to a report by Bloomberg, Michelin said the real limiter to over 483 km/h is not engine horsepower because sticking over 1,000 hp in a car can be done, often it boils down to downforce (wind resistance) and friction – the contact between the wheels and the road. If anything goes wrong with the tyre while attempting the high-speed run, the situation can turn fatal.

The challenge here is to mitigate heat, pressure and wear as the tyre will have to repeatedly withstand high speeds for up to minutes at a time because official record is awarded after taking the average speed of multiple runs. The current record holder, Koenigsegg Agera RS comes fitted with Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres, the same tyres it used to achieve 447 km/h or 278 mph.

Michelin’s product manager for original equipment, Eric Schmedding said: “We are knocking on the door of 300 mph”. “It’s a big game, with fierce competition, and it’s very fast-moving,” he added.