The 2018 Ford Mustang GT to Wear Michelin Pilot Sport 4S Tires

When the 2018 Ford Mustang GT reaches dealerships, buyers will be able to upgrade to Micheline Pilot Sport 4S tires.

Ford Motor Company announced earlier this year that the 2018 Mustang GT with the GT Performance Package will move out from a stop to 60 miles per hour in “under 4 seconds”. We don’t know that exact 0-60 time, but for a 460 horsepower Mustang, even a 3.9 would be an impressive feat. After all, the 707 horsepower Hellcat Challenger when less-than-expertly driven hits 60 in a similar time frame, leaving many people to wonder how the Mustang GT will get to 60 so quickly.

We knew early on that the new 10-speed automatic transmission would play a big role in helping the 2018 Ford Mustang GT scoot to 60 in less than 4 seconds, but today, we learned the other key piece of the puzzle. When equipped with the newest GT Performance Package, the 2018 Ford Mustang GT will be fitted with the new Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires, making the new pony car the first car sold in America with these high performance skins.

The Michelin Pilot Sport 4S was introduced at the 2017 North American International Auto Show in Detroit as the replacement for the Pilot Super Sport. That tire was well known for its high performance capabilities, so the Pilot Sport 4S is expected to deliver even better grip in dry conditions, while also being great for wet driving and carrying a 30,000-mile warranty. Most importantly, these tires will certainly offer far better traction than the Pirelli P-Zero tires on the current 2017 Ford Mustang GT, which will lead to the incredible 0-60 times for the 2018 Mustang GT.

The Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires in the GT Performance Package were developed based on what Ford and Michelin learned in making the tires for the Shelby GT350R Mustang and the new Ford GT supercar. Granted, the Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires on the GT350R are stickier and more capable than the Pilot Sport 4S, but the tires in the Mustang GT Performance Package will offer more all-around performance, better wear and – most importantly – they will comfortably outperform the Pirelli tires. The GT Performance Package tires will feature staggered sizes, with 255/40/19 up front and 275/40/19 out back, and this combination will afford the Mustang GT great launching abilities, but they will also bolster handling performance when you hit the turns.

The Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires are only included in the GT Performance Package for the 2018 Ford Mustang GT (the EcoBoost Performance Package does not get them) and that package adds $3,995 to the final price. In addition to the sticky tires, the GT Performance Package adds a Brembo 6-piston front brake setup, unique springs, a strut tower brace, a Torsen limited slip differential, package-specific stability control tuning and the 19 inch wheels on which the Michelin tires are mounted. Based on that list of features, it seems likely that the GT Performance Package will be a popular option with those folks looking to get the most out of their 2018 Ford Mustang GT.

Patrick Rall

"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.

"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.

"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.

"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.

"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.

"Being based on Detroit," says Rall, "I never miss the North American International Auto Show, the Woodward Dream Cruise and Roadkill Nights, along with spending plenty of time raising hell on Detroit's Woodward Avenue with the best muscle car crowd in the world.

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