When it comes to sports cars, Porsche is arguably the best in the business, and when it comes to tires, Michelin is similarly at the top of its game. Thus, it’s no surprise that the two have collaborated yet again, developing a tire specifically intended to make the Porsche 911 GT3 RS more usable in cool and wet conditions. It’s called the Michelin Pilot Sport S 5, but it gets an ‘N0’ suffix, with the former character indicating that the rubber underwent Porsche-specific development. The zero indicates that this is the first approved version of this specific tire design, but to get there, a lot of revision was required. It’s been worth the effort, though, as Porsche says the new rubber has slashed lap times dramatically.

New Michelins Make The Car 10 Seconds Quicker Per Lap

Andreas Preuninger, the charismatic Director of GT Vehicles at Porsche, explains why Porsche and Michelin worked together on the new compound: “We are responding to demand from our particularly performance-focused customers that have expressed a desire to spend more time on track during spring and autumn. The new tires significantly increase the annual usage period of the GT3 RS.” Those who drive their GT3 RS regularly want to make the experience even more frequent, and the increased grip can work wonders in the right hands.

At the Michelin Development Centre is a 2.8-kilometer/1.7-mile technical circuit, and Michelin says that its test drivers set lap times more than 10 seconds quicker than before on the new rubber. Porsche and Michelin tout deeper tread (7.4 millimeters), a redesigned pattern, and a high proportion of silica in the rubber compound, helping expel more water and assisting in tire warmup. Despite these and other changes designed to maximize grip, Porsche promises high wear resistance, allowing the tires to be used daily in colder climes.

If You Want The Best Rubber For The Wet, Speak To Manthey

The new tires come in 275/35 ZR 20 specification for the front and 335/30 ZR 21 for the rear. Pricing has not been announced, but unlike Taycan tires or the new rubber for the Carrera GT, these new Michelins will be exclusively available through Manthey, they certainly won’t be cheap. While you’re there, you might consider further impacting your liquidity by purchasing Manthey’s new aero kit, which costs deep six figures on its own.

We expect more news concerning the GT3 RS sometime this year. The regular GT3 was recently updated to meet ever-tightening emissions regulations in Europe and other markets, and that facelift arrived earlier than usual because of how difficult it is to remain compliant. With that in mind, it’s likely that Weissach’s geniuses will be working against the clock to give the GT3 RS one more hurrah before some form of powertrain augmentation (turbocharging or electrification) is required. While we wait for details on this and the inevitable GT2 RS, you may want to start nagging your local dealer for a spot on the waiting list for the rumored 992.2 Dakar hybrid.