Michelin has been tapped by Lexus to outfit the new LC500 sports car with the manufacturer’s Pilot Super Sport ZP tires. These new tires feature a new hybrid sidewall technology that allows it to have less overall mass and rolling resistance, while at the same time keeping its run-flat endurance and road grip.
“Michelin’s global development team worked very closely with the Lexus team to develop a Pilot Super Sport that helps meet the high performance and safety needs of the Lexus LC500,” said Thom Roach, vice president of original equipment marketing at Michelin North America. “Owners will enjoy the peace of mind that Michelin run-flat technology offers without giving up the quiet cabin and comfortable ride that Lexus owners value.”
The Michelin Pilot Super Sport ZP tires on the 2017 Lexus LC500 nameplate was developed with world-class sports car technology and performance in mind. Before the design was perfected, more than 1,200 prototypes were engineered over countless hours of testing at Michelin facilities in Greenville, South Carolina; Ladoux, France; Higashifuji proving ground; and the Japanese Automobile Research Institute in Shirosato, Japan.
The North American International Auto Show crowd saw a special concept version of the Pilot Super Sport which incorporated Lexus’ brand design language using its Premium Touch technology. This uses a an exclusive mold engraving technology that creates excellent aesthetic contrast and premium velvet texture. The concept tires will not be accompanying commercial models of the LC500.
The tire sizes for the Lexus LC500 are 245/40R21 for the front and 275/35R21 for the rear.