Allthrottleandsomebottle

The Pilot Sport A/S 3™ Tire: A Breakthrough All-season Tire Delivers a great package of performance in wet, dry and cold weather conditions.

First some techy stuff:

1) Tread Pattern – The tread pattern in the MICHELIN Pilot Sport A/S 3 is unique compared to any other all-season tire. Rather than a directional tread design, the MICHELIN Pilot Sport A/S3 has an asymmetric tread design. With this, the tire should exhibit less noise as it wears and you can do standard tire rotations. The rigid blocks on the outside shoulder provide high levels of lateral grip giving better handling and control. The unique biting edges in the tread grooves grip snow for better acceleration and braking in snowy conditions.


2) Tire Compound – By applying a special silica compound technology proven in endurance racing, Michelin engineers are able to achieve maximum wet traction from a single tread compound. The same Michelin compound technologies used during wet sessions at the historic 24 Hours of Le Mans qualifying have been enhanced to provide all-season performance in the Pilot Sport A/S 3.

3) Cold Weather Mobility – Michelin’s Helio Compound ™ technology with sunflower oil helps to increase traction at low temps, while X-SIL extreme sislica technology provides awesome wet grip with out sacrificing high temprature performance.



This new tire will let folks with a driving passion drive year-round without sacrificing safety in the cold and wet as happens with a "summer" only tire in cold weather.

I was invited by Michelin to come down to New Orleans to participate in a “For the love of the Drive” event. They were kind enough to cover my expenses, how could I say no!

About 100 consumers who drive their vehicles near the limits at times and a group of press writers tested the all season tire over 3 days.

Now a few might think this test ……boring with a capital B, but many folks want to get away from two sets of tires/ wheels for winter and summer driving and these tires flat work.

I would love to have a tire that does it all, but realistically who would think it would EVER happen as with many things, improve one area and another suffers…………….until now.

Based on my first test day with the new to be released next year MPS A/S 3, I can say Michelin has set a new standard for a high performance all season tire.
Here is the history of the Pilot Family:




We tested on a dry 50 degree day looking for the performance levels of both wet and dry conditions during braking, autocross and a little road race.
After participating in all 4 tests, it’s obvious this tire has been created from Michelins award winning race technology.

This tire was tested on a dry tight auto cross and held its own and bested some of the competitions summer only dry tire! Just like the MPSS, excellent repeatable quick turn in and great braking feel. The other tires pushed and did not give the confidence of point and the tire takes you there.


I drove these to the limit and the only question I had for the tech savvy Michelin folks was can you improve upon these!!!!!! I got a smile, hummmmmmmmmmmmm.
I would love to try these in the snow as a new tread design feature I have never seen before within the rain grooves is suppose to help snow stay packed in for better traction while easily throwing it out at the correct time.
I guess the best description ( I have a pic below) is sort of like a serrated knife blade. I dubbed these vertical lines as sniglets……………for snow removing little lines



The wet/dry braking test was a great way to put actual number with each tire/car vs. our feeling and description of what the tire is doing. MPS A/S 3 stops straight and quick wet or dry.
I think anyone that drives can relate to a wet and dry panic stop at ~60 MPH.







I would have not thought any OEM could have made and all season tire that performed extremely well in the wet and dry, but Michelin has as each test proved it by minimizing significant performance tradeoffs.


Even the road course showed the superior compound of the AS vs the other tires. I could just get this tire into a slight controllable slide a little more compared to the MPSS but it took me at the limit to do it AND THIS IS AN ALL SEASON TIRE!!!!



The wet autocross also as expected showed the A/S 3 as the clear winner when the other tires plowed badly:



I remember telling my Michelin hosts in Dubai back in 2010 if they ever took this tire to an all season version, that would be a some feat…………….Doug Brown told me “in a few years, we will do just that”
We had a chance to take a couple of hot laps in some HIPO cars, my choice was an orange 2012 ZR1 with Tommy Milner behind the wheel abusing some Michelin Run Flats.
As we tooled around the track at his normal speed(SMILE) we discussed tires. I asked him if he thought 5 years ago we would ever be able to run this fast on a run flat tire………………….he said “never saw that coming”, with a grin.
He also liked the A/S 3’ performance and was impressed with the dry traction
“As an all-weather, all-season tire, the MICHELIN Pilot Sport A/S 3 marries performance and practicality,” said Doug Brown, ultra-high performance category manager at Michelin North America. “This tire is ideal for someone who wants to optimize the performance of his or her vehicle and drive with confidence year-round.”
My PSS’s are still doing great on my 2000 C5 vert, and once warmed up do great in dry sub 40 degree temps.
I hope to get some of these new tires so I can mount the same size on another set of wheels for my vert…………not much better than same day testing on the same car in the same place with the same driver


The MICHELIN Pilot Sport A/S 3 tire is designed, engineered and manufactured in North America. It will be available in 65 sizes ranging from 175/65/R15 to 285/35/ZR20 in the late summer of 2013 with a 45,000 Mile Manufacturer's Treadwear Limited Warranty

The full list of launch sizes will be added May 1, 2013

Here is a link to my 1st thread with a few more pics.......
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/whee...nce-sport.html

If i knew they would be in Vette sizes, I would post it up there as well

waynelittle1

You should have asked if they were coming out in GS sizes!!!

Allthrottleandsomebottle

TRUST ME>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>I have tried to get info with no success yet!
I should know on the 13/14th

CLLOFF

please keep us GS owners posted.

waynelittle1

0Luke@tirerack

nice write up ... Michelin has certainly been pushing the "technology" envelope the last few years

TheoZ

And if they would make an all season tire that fit C5Z stock wheels I might consider them. I would really like to try a set when my DWS wear out (30K and the "S" still shows), but they need to make their tires in more sizes. If you want all season tires on a C5Z Conti seems like the only game in town.

tom grance

I have a typical problem. My wheels are all 18" and purchasing new ones isn't possible at this time. To gain the one inch difference needed to keep the traction control happy I'm considering buying 275/35/18 for the front and 275/40/18 for the rear. These sizes are available with the current version of the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S tires. I can't wait much longer cause My old tires failed inspection at the end of last driving season. My old tires were all 275/35/18 and I have constant problems with the traction control. I don't race my 02 Vette and I try to avoid bad weather. Any feed back would be appricated

Tom

Allthrottleandsomebottle

I hope to get the tire sizing and when they can be bought next week

NOMRW8NG

Kvothe

pkmoose

count me in on the

Kvothe

Any word?

Allthrottleandsomebottle

I have asked...........no word yet!

Allthrottleandsomebottle

I poked them.........again

Allthrottleandsomebottle

OK, these AS3s are suppose to arrive at stores on July 1st



Here are the current C4/C5/C6 & C7 tires.........

Kvothe

Awesome, glad I waited on buying tires

Allthrottleandsomebottle

YardDog

Great review. Very helpful. Thank you.

I see these are now listed on the TireRack website.

carllangford

Unfortunately I was looking for RunFlats. These don't seem to come in ZP.

Anyone have experience with the Pilot® Sport A/S Plus?