Ford and Michelin have sparked a new relationship for Ford Performance vehicles and will begin providing tire 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.
Michelin says tires continue to be an important aspect of performance vehicles, and as such, the two companies' engineers will continue collaborating every step of the way — from vehicle inception to customized tires. Their goal is to meet a wide range of performance targets, including lateral grip, noise, vibration and harshness; and durability.
Director at Ford Performance, Dave Pericak says their new relationship with Michelin will be showcased at Le Mans 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 tire fitments for Ford Performance production vehicles, including the 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,” says Thom Roach, vice president, original equipment marketing, Michelin North America. “The Michelin Pilot tires and BFGoodrich T/A KO2 tires on Ford Performance vehicles are all custom-tuned to help maximize vehicle performance on multiple fronts.”