Michelin took three years and tested 25 different compounds to develop the bespoke Pilot Sport S 5 tires for the Mercedes-AMG GT, balancing wet and dry performance.
Michelin’s Three-Year Journey to Develop the AMG GT’s Perfect Tires
Tires might not be the flashiest part of a car, but they play a crucial role in its handling and performance. With increasing frequency, car manufacturers collaborate with tire companies to create custom tires, fine-tuning elements like suspension, steering, and braking to match a specific tire compound. This process involves an immense amount of effort and precision.
The YouTube channel *Tyre Reviews* recently visited Michelin’s testing grounds in Ladoux, France, to explore the extensive development process behind the Michelin Pilot Sport S 5 tires specifically designed for the new Mercedes-AMG GT. While these tires share the same name as their off-the-shelf counterparts, the AMG version features a completely unique rubber composition.
The tires consist of three distinct compounds, each serving a different purpose. The inner portion of the front tread is optimized for wet grip, while the center section focuses on dry performance. The outermost section is made from high-endurance rubber, ideal for track use. At the rear, the tires have two sections dedicated to wet grip and a middle section for dry performance, with the outer edge also designed for dry conditions.
Michelin invested three years in the development of these tires, testing 25 different compounds for the front and 20 for the rear before settling on the final configuration. All this effort was dedicated to ensuring the tires perfectly matched the performance demands of the AMG GT.
Pierre-Antoine Gregoire, the lead development driver for this project, explained that much of the work focused on fine-tuning the “soft handling” characteristics of the tires. This includes subtle aspects like how the car tracks on a straight road, the feel of the steering wheel’s dead zone, how the tire responds to turning, and the behavior of the sidewall during quick transitions.
One of the biggest challenges Michelin faced was achieving the right balance between wet and dry handling. Mercedes required the tires to excel in both conditions—a demanding task for any tire. As a result, the Michelin team had to continuously experiment with different compound combinations, all while aligning with the AMG GT’s simultaneous development process.
