The Michelin Tyres Used For Bugatti’s 300 MPH Run Were Tested To 317 MPH (510 KM/H)

If you don’t know the news by now, you are hiding under a rock or you don’t have an internet connection of sorts.

Yes, Bugatti broke the 300 mph barrier in a slightly-modified Chiron early last month which is astonishing but by the sounds of things, the top speed battle is just heating up.

Michelin created the very special tyres capable of dealing with such huge forces, rotating up to 4100 times a minute. The specially constructed Michelin Pilot Cup 2’s were all x-rayed before being selected for use on the car and they had been reinforced with stronger metallic threads in the carcass.

They were subjected to extensive test bench trials at speeds of up to 317 mph (510 km/h) in the USA before the run, with each tyre being X-rayed to detect any air pockets or defects. Nobody wants a tyre whoopsie at over 300 mph as you’d need more than a dustpan and brush to clear it up.

So does that mean tyres are now capable of reaching that mind-warping 500 km/h speed? It sure seems so and with Koenigsegg and SSC yet to retaliate to the Bugatti bruising, things are about to get very interesting.