Ford and Michelin partner for custom-engineered tyres for performance cars

Ford and Michelin are entering into an official relationship for Ford Performance vehicles. Producer of some of the world’s highest-performing sports car and off-road tires, Michelin will provide tyre fitments for the Ford Performance vehicle lineup, including Ford GT, Shelby GT350 and Shelby GT350R Mustang, Fiesta ST, Focus ST and RS, and F-150 Raptor.

Recognising tyres are a critical aspect of a performance vehicle, Ford and Michelin engineers will continue to collaborate from vehicle inception to develop customized tyres that meet a wide range of performance targets, including lateral grip; noise, vibration and harshness; and durability. Each tyre is independently designed and developed in close collaboration on each program to maximise the vehicle’s performance envelope.

“We have a long relationship with Michelin, and could not ask for a better teammate to help extract maximum capability from our vehicles,” said Dave Pericak, director, Ford Performance. “That confidence extends from our upcoming racing effort at Le Mans in 2016 with the all-new Ford GT, to the Ford Performance vehicle lineup, including Shelby GT350 and F-150 Raptor.”

In addition to its racing support, Michelin will provide both standard and optional tyre fitments for Ford Performance production vehicles, including the all-new Ford GT (Michelin Pilot^® Sport Cup 2), Shelby GT350 (Michelin Pilot Super Sport), Shelby GT350R (Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2), Focus RS (Michelin Pilot Super Sport; Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 on the optional forged 19-inch wheels), Focus ST (Michelin Pilot), Fiesta ST (Michelin Pilot) and the upcoming 2017 F-150 Raptor (BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2).

“Our tire development teams are excited to be working hand-in-hand with Ford on these amazing vehicles,” said Thom Roach, vice president, original equipment marketing, Michelin North America. “The Michelin Pilot tyres and BFGoodrich T/A KO2 tyres on Ford Performance vehicles are all custom-tuned to help maximise vehicle performance on multiple fronts.”